Phyllidia babai

Description:

This nudibranch has a cream- to light-yellow-colored dorsum with white tubercles in the center of black rings, with the mantle finely edged in yellow. The clavus of each rhinophore has 21 to 24 lamellae, and the pockets are trimmed in white. Its white-colored, pointed, oral tentacles have lateral grooves, and they also are trimmed in yellow. The ventral surface is a pale cream in color. This species feeds on the yellow sponge, Acanthella stipata.

Habitat:

This species has been found in North Sulawesi, Lembeh Strait, southern Queensland, Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, and rarely on Okinawa.

Notes:

Spotted this nudibranch at a depth of almost 33m at Mushroom Rock, Samal Island. It measured about 4cm in length.