Phyllidia flava

Phyllidia flava Aradas, 1847

• Phyllidia aurata Pruvot-Fol, 1952
• Phyllidia depressa Aradas, 1847
• Phyllidia papillosa Aradas, 1847
• Phyllidia pulitzeri Pruvot-Fol, 1962
• Phyllidia rolandiae Pruvot-Fol, 1951

Description
The specimens of this interesting species measure about 20-30 mm in length. This is a distinct species because of its lemon yellow colouring and the tubercles of the back which are of two types: some large, white and rounded ones and smaller, conical and coloured like the body and more abundant in the back of the dorsum. Albino specimens are known. The rhinophores are fully retractable, small, orange-brown coloured and have about 10-13 lamellae. The rhinophoric sheath has two small tubercles. There are no gill leaves around the anal papilla, which is located in the rear of the mantle and is surrounded by four small conical tubercles. Gill leaves are located beneath the mantle borders, between them and the body side walls on both sides. The gill leaves are numerous, small, triangular, alternating a smaller one with a somewhat bigger one. They are yellow like the body. Beneath the mantle, about 10-15 MDF’s white glands can be observed. The foot is coloured soft orange, it is narrow, with a rounded front and a sharp rear. The mouth has a pair of wide, yellow triangular labial palps.

Biology
This is a rare species in the western Mediterranean, occassionally abundant in certain locations and years, usually below 20 meters of water, where it is often found in coraligenous bottoms on sponges like Axinella cannabina, A. polypoides and Acanthella acuta. It has been proven that feeds on the latter. Specimens of P. flava have a very characteristic smell and when disturbed secrete a whitish antipredator substance of sesquiterpenoid structure (Wägele et al. 2006). The spawn is a relatively wide coiled ribbon with orange coloured eggs, laid flat on the substrate.

Etymology

• Phyllidia. From Greek “Phyllon”, leaf + “eîdos”, something seen, form.
• Flava. From Latin “flavus”, yellow, golden.

Distribution
Initially believed as endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, it has also been reported in Azores (Hart & Wirtz, 2013), Madeira (Wirtz, 2016), the Canary Islands (Casañas et al. 1996; Ortea et al., 2001) and Cape Verde (Wirtz, 2009). In the Iberian Peninsula it has only been reported in the Catalan coast, the Balearic Islands (Cervera et al., 2004) and Granada (Luis Sánchez Tocino, pers.comm.).

Known georeferenced records of the species: Phyllidia flava

Sources:
OBIS GROC 2010-2011 Enric Madrenas João Pedro Silva Bernard Picton GBIF	OPK VIMAR Manuel Ballesteros M@re Nostrum Altres fonts Marine Regions

More pictures

Phyllidia flava by Enric Madrenas

Phyllidia flava by Enric Madrenas

Phyllidia flava by Enric Madrenas

Phyllidia flava by Enric Madrenas

Phyllidia flava by Enric Madrenas

Phyllidia flava @ Cala Margarida 26m 11-06-2017 by Jordi Regàs

Phyllidia flava @ Sicily, Italy by Lara Orselli

Phyllidia flava with spawn @ Es Caials (Cadaqués) by Miquel Pontes

Phyllidia flava on Acanthella acuta by Miquel Pontes

Phyllidia flava on Acanthella acuta by Miquel Pontes

Phyllidia flava by Miquel Pontes

Phyllidia flava mating @ France by Pascal Girard

Bibliography

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Bibliography based on the works by Steve Long, 2006. Bibliography of Opisthobranchia 1554-2000 and Gary McDonald, 2009. Bibliographia Nudibranchia, with later updates from other resources.

Further reading

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