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Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda > sea slugs > Order Nudibranchia > Family Phyllidiidae
Pimply phyllid nudibranch
Phyllidiella pustulosa
Family Phyllidiidae
updated May 2020

Where seen? This nudibranch with clusters of bumps is often encountered on our Southern shores, on coral rubble and reefs.

Features: 4-5 cm long, small ones about 1cm can be quite common on some shores. Body long, hard with bumps (called tubercles) that are clustered in groups. The bumps may be pink, red, grey, green or blue. There is a coloured margin around the edge of the body. The short rhinophores are black. There is no stripe along the underside of the foot. The black background forms more of a networked pattern. In other similar looking phyllid nudibranchs, the black background forms lines.

Kusu Island, May 05

Coloured margin around the body edge.

Pulau Hantu, Feb 06

Gills on the sides of the body.

Terumbu Raya, Jul 11Bare patch under the nudibranch - was it eating the sponge?


Tiny ones about 1cm are sometimes seen.
Pulau Hantu, Mar 06

Some have pink bumps.
Pulau Hantu, Mar 06

Some have pale blue bumps.
Beting Bemban Besar, Jun 19
Photo shared by Jianlin Liu on facebook.

Pimply phyllid nudibranchs on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Jun 22
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.


St. John's Island, Jul 09
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Pulau Tekukor, May 10
Photo shared by Neo Mei Lin on her blog.

Terumbu Hantu, Jun 13
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on flickr.


Pulau Semakau, Dec 08
Photo shared byLoh Kok Sheng on his flickr.

Pulau Semakau, Dec 08
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on his flickr.

Terumbu Semakau, Apr 21
Photo shared by Jianlin Liu on facebook.


Terumbu Raya, May 10
Photo shared by Geraldine Lee on her blog.

Terumbu Raya, Jun 15
Photo shared by Juria Toramae on facebook.

Terumbu Bemban, Jun 17
Photo shared by Abel Yeo on facebook.


Terumbu Pempang Laut, Jul 16
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on facebook.

Terumbu Pempang Darat, Jun 10
Photo shared by James Koh on his blog.

Terumbu Raya, Jul 11
Photo shared by Lok Kok Sheng on his blog.


Terumbu Bemban, Jun 10
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Terumbu Bemban, Jun 15
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

Terumbu Bemban, Jun 20
Photo shared by Dayna Cheah on facebook.


Beting Bemban Besar, May 11
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Beting Bemban Besar, Aug 18
Photo shared by Dayna Cheah on facebook.

Beting Bemban Besar, Jun 19
Photo shared by Jianlin Liu on facebook.


Pulau Biola, May 10

Pulau Pawai, Dec 09
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his flickr.

Pulau Salu, Apr 21
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

phyllidia nudibranch @ tBembanBesar 22Apr2011 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.


Links
References
  • Tan Siong Kiat and Henrietta P. M. Woo, 2010 Preliminary Checklist of The Molluscs of Singapore (pdf), Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore.
  • Debelius, Helmut, 2001. Nudibranchs and Sea Snails: Indo-Pacific Field Guide IKAN-Unterwasserachiv, Frankfurt. 321 pp.
  • Wells, Fred E. and Clayton W. Bryce. 2000. Slugs of Western Australia: A guide to the species from the Indian to West Pacific Oceans. Western Australian Museum. 184 pp.
  • Coleman, Neville. 2001. 1001 Nudibranchs: Catalogue of Indo-Pacific Sea Slugs. Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic Pty Ltd, Australia.144pp.
  • Humann, Paul and Ned Deloach. 2010. Reef Creature Identification: Tropical Pacific New World Publications. 497pp.
  • Gosliner, Terrence M., David W. Behrens and Gary C. Williams. 1996. Coral Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific: Animal life from Africa to Hawaii exclusive of the vertebrates Sea Challengers. 314pp.
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