Phyllodesmium iriomotense
Encyclopedia
Phyllodesmium iriomotense is a species
of sea slug
, an aolid nudibranch
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family Facelinidae
.
The specific name iriomotense refres to its type locality, the island Iriomote
.
, Okinawa, Japan.
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of sea slug
Slug
Slug is a common name that is normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell...
, an aolid nudibranch
Nudibranch
A nudibranch is a member of what is now a taxonomic clade, and what was previously a suborder, of soft-bodied, marine gastropod mollusks which shed their shell after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms...
, a marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusk in the family Facelinidae
Facelinidae
Facelinidae is a taxonomic family of colorful sea slugs. These are specifically aeolid nudibranchs. They are marine gastropod molluscs.- 2005 taxonomy :...
.
The specific name iriomotense refres to its type locality, the island Iriomote
Iriomote
Iriomote is the largest of the Yaeyama Islands and the second largest in Okinawa Prefecture after Okinawa Island itself....
.
Distribution
The distribution of Phyllodesmium iriomotense includes Japan. The type locality is IriomoteIriomote
Iriomote is the largest of the Yaeyama Islands and the second largest in Okinawa Prefecture after Okinawa Island itself....
, Okinawa, Japan.
Ecology
Phyllodesmium iriomotense feeds on some unknown food, but it was found on thread like alcyonarianAlcyonarian
The Alcyonarian corals are organisms resembling the octocorals . This individual polyps formed colonies and bore sclerites. The Burgess shale organism Margaretia dorus resembles an Alcyonarian, according to C.D. Walcott , and was reclassified as green algae closely resembling modern Caulerpa by...
.