Pedicularia vanderlandi Pease, 1865
Distichopora shell, 6.85mm

Pedicularia vanderlandi lives on hard corals in the genera Distichopora, generally in shallow water. Differences between this and a similar species are discussed on the Pedicularia pacifica page. The purple specimen immediately below was found on this chunk of purple Distichopora, which had broken and fallen to the floor of a small overhang on a Kwajalein Atoll west reef. The shell looks very much like a specimen we found on Stylaster, which is figured on the P. pacifica page.

On yellow Distichopora.

Two shells are on this colony of Distichopora.

This is a colony of yellow Distichopora similar to the one upon which some of these animals were found.

A shell moved off the host Distichopora gives an idea of its irregular shape.

Both dry specimens below were among many seen on orange Distichopora on a mid atoll lagoon pinnacle reef in 8-10m. The orange one measured 6.55mm.

The irregularly shaped purple one measured 6.85mm.

Created 10 August 2009
Updated 23 July 2020

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