Aeolidia papillosa - Mating and Feeding

May 24, 2005
From: Philipp Kauffmann


Hello everybody,

Here are two pictures showing two seaslugs. Is it Aeolidia papillosa or Aeolidiella glauca? It looks like they pairing. If yes, how do they do it?

The third picture shows a single Aeolidia papillosa. Is she feeding on the sea anemone Sagartia troglodytes?

Locality: Oosteschelde, Netherlands. Depth: 10 m. Length: 6-7 cm. 16 May 2005. Photographer: Philipp Kauffmann

Thanks a lot!
Philipp

philipp@dive2paradise.de

Kauffmann, P. F., 2005 (May 24) Aeolidia papillosa - Mating and Feeding. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13822

Dear Philipp,
These are all Aeolidia papillosa. You can see traces of the white V marking this species has on the head. The arms of the V run out on to the oral tentacles. In your feeding photo it looks like the animal has its oral tube everted out over another anemone. Or perhaps it is out in preparation for attacking the one in your photo. This species feeds on a variety of sea anemones.

I guess the animals in your photo alongside are mating - or preparing to. All  nudibrnachs are hermaphrodite, with a full set of male and female organs. At mating they usually both act as male and female. As the reproductive openings are on the right side of the body, when you see two individuals with their right sides together, you can be fairly confident that they are mating, or about to.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (May 24). Comment on Aeolidia papillosa - Mating and Feeding by Philipp Kauffmann. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13822

Factsheet

Aeolidia papillosa

Related messages

  1. Aeolidia papillosa from French Atlantic
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia Ossokine, August 17, 2009
  2. Re: Aeolidia papillosa spawn
    From: Jackie Hildering, August 1, 2008
  3. Re: Aeolidia papillosa spawn
    From: Jackie Hildering, August 1, 2008
  4. Stars don't eat slugs
    From: Jan Kocian, July 11, 2007
  5. Aeolidia papillosa from British Columbia
    From: Marli Wakeling, March 26, 2007
  6. Aeolidia papillosa? from southern Oregon
    From: Sandy Grummon, March 1, 2007
  7. Large Aeolidia papillosa from Puget Sound
    From: Richard Zade, February 8, 2007
  8. Juvenile Aeolidia papillosa?
    From: Carmelita Hansen, May 11, 2006
  9. Aeolidia papillosa from Puget Sound, Washington
    From: Tom Hankins, February 22, 2005
  10. Aeolidia papillosa vs Flabellina salmonacea
    From: Mary Jo Adams, January 29, 2004
  11. Aeolidia papillosa - mating
    From: Richard Lord, August 29, 2003
  12. Aeolidia papillosa feeding
    From: Alan Shepard, August 23, 2003
  13. Re: Information about Aeolidia papillosa
    From: Peter H. van Bragt, November 4, 2002
  14. Information about Aeolidia papillosa
    From: Moria Eggers, October 30, 2002
  15. Aeolidia papillosa feeding
    From: Andy Horton, September 30, 1999
  16. Aeolidia papillosa spawn
    From: Andy Horton, September 29, 1999
  17. Albino Aeolidia papillosa
    From: Irina Roginskaya, September 18, 1999
  18. Aeolidia papillosa from the White Sea
    From: Irina Roginskaya, September 8, 1999
  19. Colour variation in Aeolidia papillosa
    From: Betsey Hansen, September 5, 1999
  20. Aeolidia papillosa - Feeding & breeding
    From: Betsey Hansen, September 3, 1999
  21. Aeolidia papillosa from the Netherlands
    From: Peter H. van Bragt, September 2, 1999
  22. Aeolidia papillosa from New York
    From: Betsey Hansen, September 2, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages