Re: Melibe leonina - locomotion

November 24, 2007
From: J. Hildering & G. Miller


Concerning message #21158:

Our photos of Gastropteron pacificum swimming are not very good but you might be intersted in these frames I have isolated from video Glen took of a Melibe leonina swimming.

Locality: Bear Cove, 25 feet, British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean, 09 April 2007 , Rocky bottom. Length: 15 cm. Photographer: Glen Miller .

Jackie Hildering & Glen Miller

earthlingenterprises@telus.net

Hildering, J. & Miller, G., 2007 (Nov 24) Re: Melibe leonina - locomotion. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21179

Dear Glen and Jackie,

Thanks for thinking of us Jackie. Melibe is a nice comparison to Gastropteron because as I am sure you know, their method of swimming is quite different. In Gastropteron lateral lobes of the foot act like wings or flippers, flapping up and down to provide thrust. In Melibe the whole body flattens so it looks like a vertical board turning the whole body into a blade which bends sideways to provide thrust. Bornella stellifer swims like this as well, as do some species of the quite unrelated dorid genus Plocamopherus.

A species of Bornella, has taken this a step further and instead of having a single bend in each swimming stroke it sends a wave of bends down its body so it swims like a snake or eel.  Scott Johnson gave it the very appropriate name Bornella anguilla [anguilla = eel].

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Nov 24). Comment on Re: Melibe leonina - locomotion by J. Hildering & G. Miller. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21179

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