Prof. Dr. Rahul Mehrotra, Thailand
Info
Phestilla arnoldi Mehrotra & Caballer, 2024
Phestilla arnoldi is a species only described in 2024. It is the first nudibranch that has been proven to eat corals of the genus Acropora. Phestilla arnoldi is currently only known from its type locality, Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand.
Theis exclusively host coral is Acropora muricata. Very cryptic small light yellow eggs on the white of coral skeletons. Living animals obtain zooxanthellae in their tissues, which come from the host coral Acropora muricata.
The species name "arnoldi" was given in honor of Mr. Spencer Arnold for his discovery of highly cryptic species on Koh Tao, which contributed significantly to ectoparasite observations and records.
Phestilla arnoldi grows to a maximum size of 4 mm; and is is the smallest known species of Phestilla.
Synonymised names
Tenellia arnoldi (Mehrotra & Caballer, 2024) · alternative representation (controversed genus allocation)
Phestilla arnoldi is a species only described in 2024. It is the first nudibranch that has been proven to eat corals of the genus Acropora. Phestilla arnoldi is currently only known from its type locality, Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand.
Theis exclusively host coral is Acropora muricata. Very cryptic small light yellow eggs on the white of coral skeletons. Living animals obtain zooxanthellae in their tissues, which come from the host coral Acropora muricata.
The species name "arnoldi" was given in honor of Mr. Spencer Arnold for his discovery of highly cryptic species on Koh Tao, which contributed significantly to ectoparasite observations and records.
Phestilla arnoldi grows to a maximum size of 4 mm; and is is the smallest known species of Phestilla.
Synonymised names
Tenellia arnoldi (Mehrotra & Caballer, 2024) · alternative representation (controversed genus allocation)
