Phyllodesmium rudmani is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Facelinidae.

Phyllodesmium rudmani
detail of cerata of Phyllodesmium rudmani
Scientific classification
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P. rudmani
Binomial name
Phyllodesmium rudmani
Burghardt & Gosliner, 2006[1]

The specific name rudmani is in honor of malacologist William B. Rudman.

Distribution

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The distribution of Phyllodesmium rudmani includes North Sulawesi, Indonesia and Luzon, the Philippines.[1]

Description

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The length of the slug is up to 45 mm. Its cerata are similar to (mimicry) closed polyps of soft coral of the genus Xenia.[2]

 
soft coral Xenia sp.

Phyllodesmium rudmani contain endosymbiotic zooxanthellae of the genus Symbiodinium.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Burghardt I. & Gosliner T. M. (2006). "Phyllodesmium rudmani (Mollusca: Nudibranchia: Aeolidoidea), a new solar powered species from the Indo-West Pacific with data on its symbiosis with zooxanthellae". Zootaxa 1308: 31-47. abstract. full PDF. (subscription required)
  2. ^ Rudman, W.B., 2007 (February 17) Phyllodesmium rudmani Burghardt & Gosliner, 2006. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
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