Philinopsis speciosa
Blue-margin headshield slug
Philippines · Indo Pacific - South China Sea
- Size
- 25–50 mm · max 75 mm
- Native range
- Indo-West Pacific to the central Pacific, from the Red Sea to Hawaii.
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Description
A variable aglajid headshield slug, first described from Hawaii and now regarded as widespread in the Indo-West Pacific. It is a predator that hunts other headshield slugs; Bulla shells have been found in its gut.
Share link: https://seaslugs.org.il/species/philinopsis-speciosa-phillipines-indo-pacific-south-china-sea/
Identification
Smooth, oblong body with a headshield about half the body length. Colour ranges from translucent light brown to opaque dark brown or black, with yellow to orange-brown lines and white spots on the headshield. Parapodial margins are edged with black, blue and orange-yellow.
Similar species
Philinopsis cyanea is very similar with no clear external differences; P. depicta (Mediterranean) and P. gigliolii (eastern Pacific) are also close relatives.
Habitat & diet
Habitat
Sandy bottoms on and around coral reefs, often buried in sand.
Food
Other headshield slugs (cephalaspideans), e.g. Bulla.