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

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