Phylliroe atlantica Bergh, 1871

Overview

Leaf-like, laterally flattened pelagic mollusc, without papillae and completely transparent. The digestive gland has no constriction in the middle (Phylliroe atlantica). It lives in the warm upper water layers of all oceans.

Taxonomic Description

The body is laterally compressed, elongate and fish- or leaf-like, it is perfectly transparent. The tail is short, less than 16% of the body length. There are no papillae but one pair of relatively small tentacles (the rhinophores) are present. The foot is reduced to a pedal gland not disrupting the body outline. The head, before the rhinophores, is directed downward with a terminal mouth. The anus is situated on the right lateral side in the centre of the body. The digestive gland and other organs are visible through the skin. The digestive gland is not constricted or X-shaped. There are five gonads. The radula formula is 5-1-5. Median teeth unicuspoid, with small denticulation on both sides of the median cusp.
Body length up to 55 m.

Juveniles

A special description is not available.

Reproduction

This species is hermaphroditic, see also the next species.

Ecology

This is an epipelagic species.

Distribution

This species is known from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Gastropoda
Subclass Euthyneura
Order Nudibranchia
Suborder Dendronotoidea
Family Phylliroidae
Genus Phylliroe
Species Phylliroe atlantica

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Phylliroe atlantica Bergh, 1871

Scientific synonyms and common names

Phylliroe atlantica Bergh, 1871

Synonyms

Phylliroe atlantica n. sp. Bergh, 1871
Phylliroe bucephala (non Péron and Lesueur) Souleyet,
Phylliroe amboinensis n. sp. Quoy and Gaimard, 1833
Phylliroe punctulatum n. sp. Quoy and Gaimard, 1833
Phylliroe rubra n. sp. Quoy and Gaimard, 1830
Phylliroe sanzoi n. sp. Sparta,
Phylliroe rosea n. sp. d'Orbigny,

The difference with P. bucephala is so small that many authors consider both species to be synonymous.

Abbott, R. T., 1974. (2 ed.). American seashells. New York, Cincinnati, Toronto, London, Melbourne (van Nostrand Reinhold Co.): 1-663, 6405 figs.

Lalli, C. M. and Gilmer, R. W., 1989. Pelagic snails. The biology of holoplanktonic gastropod mollusks. Stanford, California (Stanford University Press): viii +259 pp., 25 tabs, 76 figs, 16 color figs.

Pruvot-Fol, A., 1946. Révision de la famille des Phylliroidae (Phyllirhoidae) Bergh. Bull Mus. (2) 18(2): 172-178.

Pruvot-Fol, A., 1954. Mollusques opisthobranches. Faune de France 58. Paris (Lechevalier): 1-460, 173 figs, 1 pl.

Spoel, S. van der, 1970b. The pelagic Mollusca from the 'Atlantide' and 'Galathea' expeditions collected in the East Atlantic. Atlantide Reports 11: 99-139, 24 figs.

Spoel, S. van der, 1971d. The pelagic Mollusca from the "Atlantide" and "Galathea" Expeditions collected in the East Atlantic. Atlantide Rep. 11: 99-139.

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