Three species feeding on the same sponge in Bali

August 9, 2007
From: Mike Krampf

I know you don't like a message that has multiple species but thought you might find this one interesting as all three species appear to be feeding. I have identified them as Mexichromis multituberculata [upper right in top photo], Hypselodoris kanga [lower right], Pectenodoris trilineata [upper left].

Locality: Seraya Bay, 40 ft, Tulamben Area, Bali, Indonesia, Java Sea, 27 July 2007, Black sandy area with scattered small coral patches. Length: 1 cm to 4 cm. Photographer: Mike Krampf.

Cheers,
Mike

mtkrampf@yahoo.com

Krampf, M., 2007 (Aug 9) Three species feeding on the same sponge in Bali. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20416

Dear Mike,
This is the very exception to the one species per message rule which I welcome - the mixture of species is the topic. I am not sure what the red stuff is all through the background of your photo but I suspect it is a cnidarian [sea anemone or soft coral]. The sponge they are all eating - or at least associated with - is a blue species of Dysidea. We have records of all three species feeding on this blue Dysidea but this is a nice illustration of my hypothesis that food is probably a, if not the, major cause of these inter- and intra- species aggregations.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Aug 9). Comment on Three species feeding on the same sponge in Bali by Mike Krampf. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20416

Factsheet

Mexichromis multituberculata

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