Characteristics
Phyllidiids are easily recognizable by their unique features:
- Flattened Body: Their bodies are typically dorsoventrally flattened, resembling a leaf or a pancake.
- Coloration: They exhibit a wide array of bright and contrasting colors, often incorporating shades of yellow, orange, red, purple, and black.
- Mantle: Their dorsal surface is covered by a smooth, leathery mantle, which may have prominent tubercles or ridges.
- Rhinophores: They possess two short, club-shaped rhinophores, located at the front of the head, which function as chemoreceptors for detecting food.
- Gill: Phyllidiids have a single, posterior gill, typically located in a cavity beneath the mantle.
- Radula: Their radula, a ribbon-like structure used for feeding, is highly specialized for scraping algae and other food sources from surfaces.
Environment
Phyllidiids are primarily found in shallow, tropical waters, often in association with coral reefs, rocky shores, and seagrass beds. They are predominantly nocturnal, spending the day hidden under rocks, coral, or in crevices. During the night, they emerge to feed on a variety of organisms, including sponges, algae, and other invertebrates.
References
For more information on Phyllidiidae, please refer to these sources:
