Mantle flapping : Chromodoris geminus

September 10, 2009
From: Kamal El Tawil

Dear Bill,

Re: Mantle flapping in Chromodoris geminus

I observed this Chromodoris geminus for about 15 minutes while it was continuously flapping its mantle in a rhythmic pattern while moving along the reef. I have seen many species crawl, but this one seemed to be crawling while flapping its mantle in a way like taking a step or leap forward. Again and again it continued to do so traveling a distance of about 50 centimetres until it disappeared under a rock.

Locality: White Rock, North of St. John's reef, 13 meters, Egypt, Red Sea, 7 July 2009, offshore reef. Length: 50 mms. Photographer: Kamal el Tawil.

Kindest regards,
Kamal
www.coralworld.net

kamal@coralworld.net

El Tawil, K., 2009 (Sep 10) Mantle flapping : Chromodoris geminus. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22584

Thanks Kamal,

As I describe on the 'mantle-flapping' Fact Sheet, C. geminus is one of the species with the ability to raise and lower all its mantle edge at the same time. I am not sure if there is some evolutionary advantage to this, but for whatever reason it does it, it is certainly spectacular.

Some of your photos also show the mantle glands quite well. In this group of  species, the glands are not very extensive, and in many animals are difficult to see, or may be temporarily absent or empty? As I have mentioned often, chromodorids have various types of glands or storage sacs where they accumulate distasteful chemicals from the sponges they feed on, to use in their own defence. You can see them as a few cream-white oval spots, around the mantle skirt, beneath the yellow band.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2009 (Sep 10). Comment on Mantle flapping : Chromodoris geminus by Kamal El Tawil. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22584

Factsheet

Chromodoris geminus

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