Morphology and Phylogenetic Position of the
Sargassum Nudibranch Scyllaea
fulva Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 (Nudibranchia: Scyllaeidae): First
Record in Hong Kong
The genus Scyllaea, commonly known as the sargassum nudibranch, currently consists of only two valid species, Scyllaea pelagica and Scyllaea fulva.
These species inhabit seaweed Sargassum spp., feeding on hydroids.
During a biodiversity survey conducted in April 2023, several sargassum
nudibranch individuals were collected from the seaweed Sargassum spp. through SCUBA diving. The specimens were initially misidentified based on their resemblance to Notobryon wardi and previous local records. However, thorough morphological and molecular examinations confirmed them to be Scyllaea fulva,
representing the first record of this species in Hong Kong. Notably, we
observed a significant dearth of well-documented morphological
information (particularly internal morphology) pertaining to Scyllaea fulva in existing literature. In addition to phylogenetic analysis, this paper investigated the external and internal morphology of Scyllaea fulva,
the data generated through this study provides valuable insights into
the morphology of scyllaeids, facilitating more accurate identification
by researchers in the future.

Read the full article, published by Zoological
Studies, here
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