Phyllidiopsis sphingis

Phyllidiopsis sphingis is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Phyllidiidae.^[2]

Phyllidiopsis sphingis
Phyllidiopsis sphingis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Order:	Nudibranchia
Superfamily:	Phyllidioidea
Family:	Phyllidiidae
Genus:	Phyllidiopsis
Species:	P. sphingis
Binomial name
Phyllidiopsis sphingis Brunckhorst, 1993[1]

Distribution

This species was described from Pupukea, Oahu, Hawaii. It has been reported from Papua New Guinea, the Coral Sea, the northern Mariana Islands and the Philippines.^[3]

Phyllidiopsis sphingis.

Description

This nudibranch has a white dorsum grading to blue at the edges. There are four longitudinal black lines interspersed with three raised ridges. The outer black lines have extensions at right angles which radiate out towards the edge of the mantle. These lines are interspersed with spots or short lines. It is a small Phyllidiid, growing to about 25 mm in length. The rhinophores are white.^[3]

Diet

This species feeds on a sponge.