Ceratosoma trilobatum from Red Sea

July 13, 2000
From: Jochen Scholtyssek

Dear Bill,

Here are some more Fotos, what is I.D.?

Red Sea, Akaba, Jordan,
November 1999,
Depth 20 meters.
Inside Wreck 'Cedar Price'.

Best wishes
Jochen

joscholty@t-online.de

Scholtyssek, J., 2000 (Jul 13) Ceratosoma trilobatum from Red Sea. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2700

Dear Jochen,
This is Ceratosoma trilobatum. It is a chromodorid, related to the Chromodoris and Hypselodoris you sent earlier, even though it doesn't look much like them. The spectacular dorsal horn, just behind the gills, which features in all your photos, is a characteristic of many species of Ceratosoma.

This dorsal horn contains a gland filled with distasteful chemicals the slug has obtained from its sponge food. I think this horn is used as a 'lure' - something fish will be tempted to bite. If they do bite it they will get a mouthful of distasteful secretions which should deter them from having a bite at some more important part of the body. If you have a look at the top of the page you will see I talk about the dorsal horn and suggest some other pages to look at.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Jul 13). Comment on Ceratosoma trilobatum from Red Sea by Jochen Scholtyssek. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2700

Factsheet

Ceratosoma trilobatum

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