As the state of the world's coral reefs becomes more and more in danger, some people have suggested that scientists attempt to transplant coral to severely damaged spots. Research on P. sibogae indicates that if it had no natural predators, it would continue to reproduce and eat Porites coral until it was gone. If such an idea were put into practice, we would first need an in depth understanding of the components of the ecosystem, including species that hold predators of other species in check.
Phestilla sibbogae follow slime trails left by others to and from reproductive sites.
Communication Channels: chemical
Perception Channels: chemical
There are no accurate figures as yet about the populations of P. sibogae. However, factors that affect the health of the coral reefs they live in such as chemical pollution, silt, or human disturbance would obviously affect the health of P. sibogae populations.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
Development - Life Cycle: metamorphosis
Phestilla sibogae has no negative affect on humans. Their possible negative effects on coral populations are generally kept in check by predators, however, human disturbance of predator populations could initiate severe coral damage by P. sibogae.
Phestilla sibogae's primitive brain and nervous system with easy to identify neurons make it useful in neural research.
Phestilla sibogae is a corallivore, a specialized predator which feeds only on corals. This species feeds only on the genus Porites. Phestilla sibogae senses its prey through distance chemoreception. Epithelial tissue on the rhinopores is sensitive to amino acids released by Porites corals, allowing recognition. Phestilla sibogae then scrapes its radula, a flexible tongue-like membrane with two or three rows of teeth, across the coral surface to draw food into its mouth.
The species is a ravenous eater, and were it not for predatory control by several reef crustaceans and fishes, they would quickly eat their way through an entire reef. An adult P. sibogae can eat up to 6.4 square centimeters of coral each day.
Animal Foods: cnidarians
This species is found in the tropical portions of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, and probably ranges from Panama west to Africa.
Biogeographic Regions: indian ocean (Native ); pacific ocean (Native )
Phestilla sibogae lives in tropical marine environments amongst coral reefs. Because of its utter dependence on its prey, P. sibogae is always found on or near colonies of coral in the genus.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; saltwater or marine
Aquatic Biomes: reef
This species grows to be 30-40 mm long.
Like all nudibranchs, this species lacks the shell, gills and mantle cavity that most other snails have. Nudibranchs have flaps or fins on the lateral sides of the foot, called parapodia. These structures allow the animals to swim. Respiration occurs through the epidermis of the dorsal body wall. Phestilla sibogae exhibits external bilateral symmetry, although some internal organs are slanted to the right (called detorsion). It has a complete digestive system, with the anus located at its posterior.
Phestilla sibogae is very well camouflaged on Porites coral and is difficult to see there.
Like many other nudibranchs, P. sibogae has two sets of tentacles, called anterior sensory organs, on its head. One of the sets of tentacles, called rhinophores, are located on the dorsal side and are about 5 mm long. The rhinophores specifically are implicated in olfaction and sensing the presence of prey, possible predators, and members of the same species. The slightly flattened looking oral tentacles extend from the mouth area and are 5-7 mm long. The nerves of these structures both connect to the cerebral ganglia. The brain of this species consists of three pairs of fused sections; the cerebral ganglia, the pleural ganglia, and the pedal ganglia. The neurons are large and easily identifiable.
Also found on the head are slender extensions called cerata, which aid in gas exchange. Unlike other nudibranchs, P. sibogae does not store the nematocysts (stinging organelles) of its prey in its cerata.
The larval stage of P. sibogae, called a veliger, has a transparent, caplike shell and an operculum not found in adult individuals. The velum, which the larvae use to swim and feed, are bilobed and ciliated around their mouths. The velum is reabsorbed along with the shell during metamorphosis.
Range mass: 0.8 to 1.7 g.
Range length: 30 to 40 mm.
Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Various species of reef-dwelling crustaceans and fish eat this species of nudibranch. It avoids some predators by hiding during daylight and only moving around at night.
Phestilla sibogae is a simultaneous hermaphrodite; this means that both male and female reproductive organs are present and mature at the same time. Two individuals mate and cross-fertilize each other. Mating can occur before the individual is mature enough to lay eggs, so sperm may be stored until later.
Individuals reach maturity when they are 15-25 mm long. The eggs are then laid in one session of repeated spawning. The eggs have an egg membrane and a covering of albumen. Masses of them are enclosed together in a cylinderical cord covered with a thick layer of mucus for protection. The long, gelatinous loops of eggs resemble ribbons.
The free-swimming planktonic larvae are called veligers. They hatch and begin to feed on other plankton approximately five days after fertilization. Seven to ten days after hatching, they are physically able to metamorphose. Porites releases a chemical which induces the larvae to settle on it and begin metamorphosis.
The species grows and reproduces fairly rapidly, with about forty days between generations.
Key Reproductive Features: simultaneous hermaphrodite; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous ; sperm-storing ; delayed fertilization
Parental Investment: no parental involvement
Phestilla sibogae is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trinchesiidae.[2] The species feeds on the hard coral genus Porites. [3]
This species was described from Indonesia.[1] It was previously treated as a synonym of Phestilla lugubris but is now considered distinct due to differences in larval development and adult morphology to be a distinct species.[4]
{{cite book}}: External link in |postscript=Phestilla sibogae is a species of sea slug, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trinchesiidae. The species feeds on the hard coral genus Porites.
