Phestilla is a genus of sea slugs, aeolid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Trinchesiidae.

Phestilla
An orange individual of Phestilla melanobrachia, head end towards the left
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Cladobranchia
Superfamily: Fionoidea
Family: Trinchesiidae
Genus: Phestilla
Bergh, 1874

Its members are unusual in feeding on hard corals, unlike other members of the family Trinchesiidae which feed on hydroids. Adult Phestilla have no cnidosacs. This genus has been investigated using DNA phylogeny and undescribed species exist.[1][2][3]

Species

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Species within the genus Phestilla include:[4]

Species names currently considered to be synonyms:

  • Phestilla hakunamatata Ortea, Caballer & Espinosa, 2003 synonym of Hermosita hakunamatata (Ortea, Caballer & Espinosa, 2003)
  • Phestilla subodiosus A. Wang, Conti-Jerpe, J. L. Richards & D. M. Baker, 2020 : synonym of Phestilla subodiosa A. Wang, Conti-Jerpe, J. L. Richards & D. M. Baker, 2020 (incorrect gender agreement of specific epithet)

References

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  1. ^ a b Faucci, A., Robert J. Toonen, & Michael G. Hadfield, (2007). Host shift and speciation in a coralfeeding nudibranch. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B Biological Sciences 274(1606):111-119.
  2. ^ Korshunova, T.; Martynov, A.; Picton, B. (2017). Ontogeny as an important part of integrative taxonomy in tergipedid aeolidaceans (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) with a description of a new genus and species from the Barents Sea. Zootaxa. 4324(1): 1.
  3. ^ Rudman, W.B., 2000 (January 29) Phestilla sp. 1. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney.
  4. ^ Bouchet, P.; Bieler, R. (2016). Phestilla Bergh, 1874. In: MolluscaBase (2016). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2016-12-27.
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