Flabellina trophina from British Columbia

July 9, 2007
From: Marli Wakeling

Hi Bill,
Thought I'd send this in, as prior messages have shown Flabellina trophina feeding on tube worms. I found this large specimen on the top of a hydroid, which I believe was Tubularia indivisa, or a similar species.

Locality: Agamemnon Channel, Sunshine Coast, 12 metres, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific, 18 Nov 2006, Rocky reef. Length: 55mm. Photographer: Marli Wakeling.

Cheers,
Marli Wakeling

scubamarli@gmail.com

Wakeling, M., 2007 (Jul 9) Flabellina trophina from British Columbia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20113

Hi Marli,

Thanks for sharing. Your main photo and Bill's close-up show the main characteristic that differentiates this species, the long pointed tube-like snout. Your photo even shows it upturned pose. Nice.

Your point about this species having been reported to feed on tubeworms is salient. We have only recently learned, as you point out, this aeolid is a cnidarian predator and feeds on hydroids that live on the tough tube of the worm. Not the worm itself.

Thanks again,
Dave Behrens

Behrens, D.W., 2007 (Jul 9). Comment on Flabellina trophina from British Columbia by Marli Wakeling. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20113

Factsheet

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