Trippa 'abseiling'

April 14, 1999
From: David & Leanne Atkinson

Hi Bill,

We have been busy diving over Easter and have seen and photographed some interesting things at Fly Point, Port Stephens, New South Wales. One of them was an observation of a Trippa 'abseiling' down a cliff on a 'spider web'. The 'spider web' didn't show up in the picture. I presume it was a thin strand of mucus produced for this purpose.

David & Leanne Atkinson

atkin@hunterlink.net.au

Atkinson, D. & L., 1999 (Apr 14) Trippa 'abseiling'. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/772

Thanks David & Leanne,
Little nudibranchs, especially juveniles often make use of their sticky mucus to move like this. It stops them being washed away in the currents. I guess the mucus is just not strong enough for larger animals to use in the same way.

I think your animal is probably a juvenile of Trippa intecta.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Apr 14). Comment on Trippa 'abseiling' by David & Leanne Atkinson. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/772

Factsheet

Atagema sp. 2.

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    From: David & Leanne Atkinson, May 15, 1999

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