Facelina bourailli is moderately common in the Marshalls, with 68 specimens observed at Enewetak and several dozen at Kwajalein, as well as specimens observed by John and Lynette Flynn at Rongelap and Majuro. They mostly live under dead coral rocks on lagoon reefs, pinnacles, and the seaward reef flat at depths of 1 to 10 meters. Fifteen specimens measured ranged from 5 to 10mm in length. The first photo is an Enewetak Atoll specimen. This species is sometimes figured in the genus Phidiana. Facelina bourailli was first reported in the Marshalls from Enewetak and Kwajalein Atolls as Phidiana bourailli by Johnson & Boucher (1984).
The three shots below show a specimen from a depth of 6m under a rock on Kwajalein Atoll's seaward reef on 31 May 2009.
Instead of orange spots, the 6mm specimen below had streaks and blotches of orange. It was swept out of algae and hydroids growing under a floating dock in Kwajalein Harbor. The heavily annulated rhinophores confirm it is F. bourailli.
Ken Cone and Beth Van Zummeren have also found specimens at Ailinginae Atoll (immediately below) and Rongelap (second below).
Created 8 January 2007
Updated 3 May 2021