Cup Coral Nudibranch (black) (Phestilla melanobrachia) — Habitat, Photos

Q: Where can you find Cup Coral Nudibranch (black)?

Cup Coral Nudibranch (black) can be found in: Australia West, Malaysia East, Taiwan, Australia North, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan South, Indo-Pacific West, Australia East, Indo-Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines.

Phestilla melanobrachia is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trinchesiidae.

Description

There are two known colour forms of Phestilla melanobrachia, black and orange.They have been found to be genetically identical. The colour matching the colour of the dendrophylliid coral (Tubastrea, Dendrophyllia) on which specimens are feeding.

Its translucent pale orange body has many short plumb cerata which varie in colour depending upon the diet, but always with an orange or white tips. Colour varies from bright to dull orange, brown and black. The rhinophores and oral tentacles are both long, smooth and translucent orange deepening in colour towards the tips.

A central band along the body is clear of cerata. The foot is large and the corners are rounded anteriorly. The rhinophores which araised from a common base are smooth and relatively short.

Distribution

This species was described from the Philippines. It has been reported from Hong Kong and Japan to Malaysia and East to Australia.

Habitat

It lives in moderately protected to highly exposed areas from 2-43 m.
It is typically concealed in adjacent cracks during the day. It emerges at night to feed. It feeds on corals in the family Dendrophylliidae.