Thuridilla albopustulosa
White-bump sapsucking slug
Philippines · Indo Pacific - South China Sea
- Size
- 10–25 mm
- Native range
- Indo-West Pacific, from South Africa and Aldabra to Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Japan.
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Description
A colourful sacoglossan (sap-sucking sea slug) described by Gosliner in 1995. The name means 'white pustules', after the white spots on the parapodia.
Share link: https://seaslugs.org.il/species/thuridilla-albopustulosa-phillipines-indo-pacific-south-china-sea/
Identification
Light blue body with scattered black pigment near the foot and parapodial bases. Parapodia edged opaque white with white to cream spots or longitudinal bands. White on the head extends in a V into the rhinophores; rhinophores white at the base and bright orange-red on the outer two-thirds, often with a thin broken white line.
Similar species
Thuridilla vatae has a dark grey to black ground colour with black-and-yellow parapodial markings, and mostly white rhinophores with red only at the tips.
Habitat & diet
Habitat
Shallow tropical reefs; recorded around 10 m.
Food
Not recorded specifically; like other Thuridilla, it feeds on green algae by sucking cell sap.