About Phyllodesmium colemani Rudman, 1991
Phyllodesmium colemani, a species of aeolid nudibranch, uses camouflage to hide among the polyps of the coral Tubipora musica, which is its food source. This species reaches a maximum recorded length of 18 millimeters. It holds symbiotic zooxanthellae, which are stored in clustered terminal chambers spread across the walls of its cerata. This species was first scientifically described from specimens collected at Lord Howe Island, Australia, where it was discovered by Neville Coleman. It is also known to occur in the Philippines and across the central Indo-Pacific region. Ecologically, Phyllodesmium colemani feeds specifically on the organ pipe coral Tubipora musica, and is typically found in very shallow water at depths between 2 and 5 meters.
