About Phyllodesmium briareum (Bergh, 1896)
Phyllodesmium briareum is a species of aeolid nudibranch that uses camouflage to resemble the soft coral Briareum violacea, the organism it is often found associated with. This species can grow up to 25 millimeters in total length. It contains symbiotic zooxanthellae, and its cerata have the conventional shape seen in other aeolids. Its known distribution covers the Indo-Pacific region, including Australia. Ecologically, Phyllodesmium briareum feeds on multiple species of briareid soft corals. Recorded prey species include Solenopodium stelleri, Briareum stecheri (sensu MacFadyen, 1936), and Pachyclavularia violacea.
