Vesicular sea slug (Phyllidiella pustulosa)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from SeaLifeBase, occurrence map from GBIF.
Last updated
David Burdick · via Wikipedia: Phyllidiella pustulosa · Public domain
Vesicular sea slug (Phyllidiella pustulosa) is a marine species in the family Phyllidiidae (Mollusca › Gastropoda › Nudibranchia), recorded in the World Register of Marine Species as Phyllidiella pustulosa (Cuvier, 1804) under AphiaID 536574.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumMollusca
- ClassGastropoda
- OrderNudibranchia
- FamilyPhyllidiidae
- GenusPhyllidiella
- SpeciesPhyllidiella pustulosa
Named by (Cuvier, 1804)
Close relatives
Other species of Phyllidiella with a Codexery entry.
- Phyllidiella striata Phyllidiella striata
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Phyllidiella pustulosa (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 536574 (CC BY 4.0)
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.06 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: SeaLifeBase species summary
Where the vesicular sea slug (phyllidiella pustulosa) has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (3,523 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 46 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain)
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Mollusca · Class: Gastropoda · Order: Nudibranchia · Family: Phyllidiidae · Genus: Phyllidiella.
Accepted name: Phyllidiella pustulosa · Authority: (Cuvier, 1804) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 536574.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Fryeria variabilis Collingwood, 1881; Phyllidia melanocera Yonow, 1986; Phyllidia nobilis Bergh, 1869; Phyllidia nobilis var. rotunda Eliot, 1904; Phyllidia pustulosa Cuvier, 1804; Phyllidia rotunda Eliot, 1904; Phyllidia spectabilis Collingwood, 1881; Phyllidia verrucosa van Hasselt, 1824; Phyllidiella nobilis (Bergh, 1869).
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=536574 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)
Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Phyllidiella pustulosa. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 6 cm · Depth range: 6–38 m · Habitat zone: benthic · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
SeaLifeBase notes: Assumed maximum length from Ref. 844. Known from depths of 6 to 38 m on reefs (Ref. 337), at intertidal and subtidal areas (Ref. 2925).
Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 87395) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Phyllidiella-pustulosa.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
3,523 georeferenced occurrence records for Phyllidiella pustulosa are published through GBIF from 56 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 324 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 85 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: Indonesia (824); United States of America (587); Australia (527); Philippines (249); Japan (189).
The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2291741) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2291741&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=536574 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Related in Vesicular sea slug
Links follow this subject's own source article.
Elsewhere in Vesicular sea slug
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Phyllidiella pustulosa (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: SeaLifeBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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