Scutus reproduction

October 20, 2005
From: Rob Wedin

Thanks for maintaining this little Scutus spot on the internet!
I now have two of these in my 120g reeftank. I'd love to help foster a reproduction event [see message #11385 ], but am unsure about the following:
Both Scutus are almost definitely direct siblings, from the same tank but acquired years apart. Does this hinder their mating chances?
Hermaphrodites - out of two, will one of them change to the the opposite sex, or would I have to aquire opposite-sex limpets?
Thanks again!
Rob Wedin (ribs)

rwedin@marinoindustrial.com

Wedin, R., 2005 (Oct 20) Scutus reproduction. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15037

Dear Rob,
I am not sure why I encourage Scutus questions. I really have far too many sea slug questions to spend time on a little snail. However it certainly illustrates one way the Forum increases our knowledge. While I have helped a lot of aquarium people discover what this animal is, they in return have given us a lot of new information about its reproductive behaviour. While theoretically we 'knew' that it should relase its eggs and sperm into the water,  I don't think it has actually been observed previously.

So to your question. I am not sure why you think your two animals are siblings. It's possible they are, but also they could have arrived on separate occasions on live rock. But to answer your question, sibling mating is not uncommon in nature. However, Scutus is not an hermaphrodite, so unless you have a male and a female, I'm afraid mating events are out of the question. And before you ask.... there is no easy way of identifying their sex - unless you dissect them - which means killing them, which would rather defeat the purpose of the exercise.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Oct 20). Comment on Scutus reproduction by Rob Wedin. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15037

Factsheet

Elephant Slug, Shield Slug, Ducksbill Limpet (Scutus sp.)

Related messages

  1. Re: Black sea slugs in reef tank
    From: Mike Duggan, February 8, 2008
  2. A Black Sea Slug in an Aquarium
    From: Sampo Tiensuu, December 12, 2007
  3. Found what I believe to be a Sea Slug or Snail in my Tank
    From: Chad Naujoks, November 28, 2007
  4. Re: Scutus reproduction
    From: Aubrey, May 18, 2007
  5. Re: Scutus reproduction
    From: Matthew A. Clarke, February 9, 2007
  6. Black slug thing in aquarium
    From: Kristina Mahan, October 8, 2005
  7. Scutus snail - in aquarium
    From: L. Whyte, September 9, 2005
  8. Black And white Nudibranch?
    From: Colin Winkelmann, August 17, 2005
  9. Re: Is Scutus 'Reef safe' ??
    From: Kingston Wong, March 9, 2005
  10. Is Scutus 'Reef safe' ??
    From: Kingston Wong, March 5, 2005
  11. 3 Scutus in my tank
    From: Catalina Pampin, February 23, 2005
  12. Re: Reproduction of Scutus sp.
    From: Rob, November 14, 2003
  13. Identification of a Black Slug
    From: Elvis, August 11, 2003
  14. Scutus in aquarium
    From: Charles S. Thompson Jr., February 4, 2003
  15. Scutus in aquarium (2)
    From: Nathan Gaub, February 4, 2003
  16. Re: Black seaslugs in reef tank
    From: Brett T Lynch, January 11, 2003
  17. Black seaslugs in reef tank
    From: Brett Lynch, January 9, 2003
  18. Reproduction of Scutus sp.
    From: Timothy D. Loyd, January 7, 2003
  19. Sea slug in my tank?
    From: Daniel R, October 1, 2002
  20. Another Scutus in an aquarium
    From: Tae Kim, September 27, 2002
  21. Scutus - Thanks
    From: Becky, April 25, 2002
  22. Thanks Dr Rudman
    From: Pippa Styles, March 20, 2002
  23. Another Scutus in live rock
    From: Becky, March 5, 2002
  24. Trying to ID black slug
    From: Mark Conley, November 20, 2001
  25. Re: Mystery black Sea Slug
    From: John Strawn, November 8, 2001
  26. Mystery black Sea Slug
    From: John Strawn, November 7, 2001
  27. Re: Aquarium mystery
    From: Jay Rundle , September 1, 2001
  28. Can you identify this Sea Slug?
    From: Jay Rundle, August 31, 2001
  29. Mystery Sea Slug is Scutus
    From: Marve Wiessner, June 12, 2001
  30. Flatworm? Scutus? I.D. Help Needed
    From: Matt Anderson, April 21, 2001
  31. Is this some slug or a limpet?
    From: Kristen Chinn, December 30, 2000
  32. Help with ID.. aquarium mystery
    From: Tim Merkel, December 28, 2000
  33. re: Black nudibranch
    From: Gareth Trinko , September 16, 2000
  34. Black nudibranch?
    From: Gareth Trinko , September 15, 2000
  35. Solid Black Sea Slug
    From: Timothy Loyd, August 16, 2000
  36. Aquarium mystery
    From: Kelly Greco, December 11, 1999
  37. What is Scutus?
    From: Deepak G Sarin, June 20, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages