Tochuina tetraquetra feeding on gorgonian

Thanks Clinton,
An interesting observation. It seems to be stripping the colony bare. I guess the water gives it sufficient bouyancy to crawl over the gorgonian without breaking or even bending its slender branches.

I checked in McDonald & Nybakken's List of the Worldwide Food Habits of Nudibranchs, and they list records of Tochuina feeding on a range of octocorals including the gorgonian Euplexaura marki, the nephtheid soft-coral Gersemia rubiformis, and Sea Pen Ptilosarcus gurneyi, which suggests a much broader diet than some other tritoniids. All these octocorals have very nasty chemical compounds in their bodies. With such a diet I don't know how Kuril Islanders can eat Tochuina raw or cooked. Perhaps its like a hot chili eating contest!
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman