Phyllidia picta Pruvot-Fol, 1957

Papu, Adelfia, Bogdanov, AleXander, Bara, Robert, Kehraus, Stefan, König, Gabriele M., YonoW, Nathalie & Wägele, Heike, 2022, Phyllidiidae (Nudibranchia, Heterobranchia, Gastropoda): an integrative taxonomic approach including chemical analyses, Organisms Diversity & Evolution (New York, N. Y.) 22 (3), pp. 585-629 : 596

Phyllidia picta Pruvot-Fol, 1957

Thirty-four sequences of Phyllidia picta were included in our molecular phylogeny, which grouped in two distinct subclades, indicating an intraspecific variation. This is confirmed by the haplotype network analysis in which the two clades are separated by 28 differing nucleotides which are shared only by specimens in one of the respective clades and not with the other ( Fig. 17 ). Species delimitation tests, except the one based on 16S, also recognised two distinct species. Since we follow the more conservative species concept in our study, and in addition to the lack of support for these two clades as separate species in the 16S data set and morphologically, we discuss these two clades as one species. In the first clade, all sequences from GenBank group together with sequences from our collection from North and South Sulawesi (Fig. 4.4a–c). The second clade includes specimens from our expeditions to North and Southeast Sulawesi (Fig. 4.4d–f). The intraspecific genetic variability of both clades within P. picta is 9%. Both clades are very similar in their external morphologies, with the anal opening positioned ventrally. They resemble each other in colouration with a typical black trapezoidal pattern with elongations towards the edge of the mantle. The tubercles are single, the larger ones in three median rows usually capped with yellow to orange. The rhinophores are also yellow to orange with one tubercle anterior to them. The oral tentacles are grey, the tips with or without yellow in both clades; the foot sole is grey to dark grey. The colouration of the living specimens matches the colouration described for Phyllidia menindie ( Brunckhorst, 1993) , a species that was subsequently synonymised with P. picta Pruvot-Fol, 1957 by Yonow (1996) after her examination of the holotype in the Natural History Museum (BMNH 1854.7.19.91). No chemical analyses were performed for this species.

Figures

Fig. 17 Haplotype network of Phyllidia picta including 34 CO1 sequences. Note the separation of the two clades by 28 mutational steps. The two clades are coloured red and green, respectively