Dondice parguerensis
Brandon & Cutress, 1985
Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: AEOLIDINA
Family: Glaucidae
DISTRIBUTION
Caribbean Sea.
PHOTO
Specimen on the tentacles of the jellyfish Cassiopeia in a shallow, very warm water, mangrove area on Lark Caye, Belize, Central America. March 1992. Size range: 16 - 35 mm. PHOTO: Jeff Hamann.
This interesting species of Dondice was discovered about 10 years ago in Puerto Rico and apparently lives exclusively on the jellyfish Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia is the jellyfish which is often found in sheltered shallow waters. It lives upside down so that the sunlight can get to its tentacles which are full of symbiotic algae. There is no indication that the aeolid retains algal cells alive in its tissues, like some other nudibranchs do, but it would be worth an investigation.
Reference:
• Brandon, M., & Cutress, C.E. (1985) A new Dondice (Opisthobranchia: Favorinidae), predator of Cassiopea in southwest Puerto Rico. Bulletin of Marine Science,(1): 139-144.
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (November 9) Dondice parguerensis Brandon & Cutress, 1985. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/dondparg
