Ceratosoma trilobatum in distress

July 28, 2006
From: Sean Kearney

Dear Bill...
It was difficult to watch as this beautiful little slug was being attacked from all angles. It appears that the rhinophores are tucked in along with mouth parts for protection.

The two crabs kept circling over and around. I know that you like to get pics of slugs "doing things", thought I'd throw this in.

Locality: Police Pier, 45 feet, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Lembeh Strait, 21 Feb 2006, Sand, mud. Length: 1 1/2 inch. Photographer: S. Kearney.

Sean Kearney

skearney@dc.rr.com

Kearney, S., 2006 (Jul 28) Ceratosoma trilobatum in distress. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17184

Thanks Sean,
It is a strange thing for these crustacea to attack - perhaps the Ceratosoma was already partially dead from some other misadventure? I think the crabs are anomuran squat lobsters [Fam. Galatheidae] rather than brachyuran 'true' crabs but I am open to correction.  One interesting point I have illustrated in the middle right photo is the concentration of the defensive mantle glands on the dorsal horn [as opaque white spheres]. Usually they are not so obvious, so it appears they are swelling, perhaps in response to the pain of the attack.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Jul 28). Comment on Ceratosoma trilobatum in distress by Sean Kearney. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17184

Factsheet

Ceratosoma trilobatum

Related messages

  1. Re: Juvenile of Ceratosoma bicolor from Lembeh?
    From: Zeineb Alhaidari, October 28, 2009
  2. Juvenile of Ceratosoma bicolor from Lembeh?
    From: Zeineb Alhaidari, October 27, 2009
  3. Re: Ceratosoma trilobatum from Bali
    From: Marcel Tanke, October 13, 2008
  4. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Mussandam, Oman
    From: Yahia Mokhtar, July 23, 2008
  5. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Egypt
    From: Dorota Czerny, June 10, 2008
  6. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Ningaloo Reef, WA
    From: Kristin J Anderson, February 7, 2008
  7. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Bali
    From: Kenneth Yong, September 5, 2007
  8. Ceratosoma trilobatum feeding
    From: Bruce Wight, June 7, 2007
  9. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Indonesia
    From: Natasja Vandeperre, May 4, 2007
  10. Re: Is Ceratosoma trilobatum a fakir?
    From: Julia Socha, October 31, 2006
  11. Re: Ceratosoma trilobatum from sthn Queensland
    From: Ron Velarde, March 1, 2006
  12. Ceratosoma trilobatum from sthn Queensland
    From: Bruce Wilkie, February 27, 2006
  13. Is Ceratosoma trilobatum a fakir?
    From: Krystian Bala, January 16, 2006
  14. Ceratosoma from north end of Moreton Island
    From: Gary Cobb, March 3, 2005
  15. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Indonesia
    From: Asther M. Lau, February 18, 2004
  16. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Japan
    From: Jason Bell, November 25, 2003
  17. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Philippines
    From: Vasa P. Sirinupongs, September 16, 2003
  18. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Oman
    From: Luigi Montevecchi, September 2, 2003
  19. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Taiwan
    From: Todd Garthwaite, June 23, 2003
  20. Ceratosoma trilobatum? from the Philippines
    From: Erwin Koehler, May 20, 2003
  21. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Eilat
    From: Michael Levin, April 2, 2003
  22. Ceratosoma with Emperor shrimp at Lembeh St
    From: Danny Van Belle, January 4, 2003
  23. Ceratosoma from Thailand
    From: Danny Van Belle, December 23, 2002
  24. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Riau, Indonesia
    From: Alice Lee, November 12, 2002
  25. Ceratasoma trilobatum with shrimp
    From: Marli Wakeling, October 12, 2002
  26. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Taiwan
    From: Todd Garthwaite, July 23, 2002
  27. Ceratosoma sp.? from Queensland
    From: Greg Carter, June 3, 2002
  28. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Riau Archipelago
    From: Alice Lee, April 1, 2002
  29. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Red Sea
    From: Jochen Scholtyssek, July 13, 2000
  30. Ceratosoma trilobatum from Thailand
    From: Narongpon Sittithaweepat, April 23, 2000
  31. Ceratosoma trilobatum from sthn Queensland
    From: Tim Murrell, September 30, 1999
  32. Ceratosoma trilobatum & C. tenue
    From: Bill Rudman, September 30, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages