''Phyllodesmium pecten'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

sea slug Sea slug is a common name for some marine invertebrates with varying levels of resemblance to terrestrial slugs. Most creatures known as sea slugs are gastropods, i.e. they are sea snails (marine gastropod mollusks) that over evolutionary ...

, an aeolid

nudibranch Nudibranchs () are a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have been given colourful nicknames to mat ...

, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family

Facelinidae The Facelinidae are a taxonomic family of colorful sea slugs. These are specifically aeolid nudibranchs. They are marine gastropod molluscs.Bouchet, P. (2012). Facelinidae. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinesp ...

Distribution

The type locality for ''Phyllodesmium pecten'' is Fungu Yasin Reef, off Kunduchi Beach, Dar es Salaam,

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

Description

The body is translucent or yellowish with a distinct pattern of opaque white pigment. On the head there is an inverted triangular white patch, the apex of the triangle joining a white band running across the head just in front of the rhinophores. Just behind the rhinophores is a triangular white patch and there is a diamond-shaped white patch along the centre line between each ceratal cluster. The upper halves of the oral tentacles and rhinophores are opaque white. The length of the slug is up to 22 mm.

Ecology

''Phyllodesmium pecten'' feeds on the soft coral '' Xenia'' sp.Rudman, W.B., 2004 (December 24
''Phyllodesmium pecten'' Rudman, 1981.
n/nowiki> Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7188809 Facelinidae Gastropods described in 1981