Cuthona sibogae - diseased?

September 3, 2003
From: Leanne & David Atkinson


Dear Bill,
Can you explain this phenomena? During May we watched the only Cuthona sibogae on a patch of orange hydroid at Fly Point. Early in June, the last time we saw it, it had white spots on the cerata. Is this a sign of age, illness or something else entirely? Are these little bubbles forming as discussed early on the forum with some laboratory animals with cerata? Can you help?
Upper Photo 1 & 2:
Location: Fly Point, Marine Reserve, Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia. Tide: high. Depth: 12m. Water Temp: 19 degrees c.
Upper Photo: 24 May 2003
Lower Photo: of 'spotted animal' 7 June 2003.

Thanks,
Leanne & David Atkinson

atk@hunterlink.net.au

Dear Leanne & David,
I don't think this spotting is the same thing as the bubbles in Hermissenda which apparently form insode the cerata and cause it to float. I suspect if I had seen your spotted animal I would have thought it was a strange colour variation, but your observations suggest that it either diseased or old age is causing something strange to occur. I am afraid I have no idea what is happening. I have included alongside close-ups of the hydroid [Sertularella sp.] your animal was on. The upper photo is from May and the lower, from June. My first thought was that perhaps your animal was starving, but from the abundance of polyps in the bottom photo, your animal was certainly not short of available food.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Sep 3). Comment on Cuthona sibogae - diseased? by Leanne & David Atkinson. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10881

Factsheet

Cuthona sibogae

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