Re: I need Pteraeolidia ianthina

December 13, 2005
From: Makiko Yorifuji

I'm a graduate student working on the life history of Pteraeolidia ianthina under Dr. Yoshiaki Hirano. Please give Yoshi my regards. I've just read the message about P. ianthina dated Oct. 4, 2005 [#14917 ] and I'd like to share some of my findings on this sea slug with you.

First, I've seen P. ianthina crawling or staying on/near Myrionema amboinense in the field (Okinawa, Japan). I've confirmed that P. ianthina eats M. amboinense in the laboratory. Second, I found many kinds of nematocysts probably derived from many hydroids in the cnidosacs of the slug. Prey hydroids of this slug I've confirmed so far include Tubularia, Eudendrium spp., Halocordyle disticha, in addition to M. amboinense. This slug may even eat some other cnidarians. When I gave a species of swimming anemone to hungry slugs of P. ianthina (those kept without food for about 3 months) on trial, some of them ate the sea anemone. Also I've seen a slug of P. ianthina biting a stauromedusa (Stenoscyphus inabai) in a small container in which a student was keeping these two animals together for a few hours after collecting. So, I think P. ianthina has a wide spectrum of food as an adult. Moreover, as they can survive for about a half year only with light (no prey), they may not eat Myrionema so frequently.

Besides, I'm cautious about selling and/or buying sea slugs for a personal hobby. I don't think using P. ianthina to get rid of Myrionema hydroids is a good idea.

Makiko Yorifuji

yorifuji@graduate.chiba-u.jp

Yorifuji, M, 2005 (Dec 13) Re: I need Pteraeolidia ianthina. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15453

Dear Makiko,
Thanks for this interesting information. I remember Dr Hirano mentioning he had a graduate student studying Pteraeolidia. Certainly in northern New South Wales, adult Pteraeolidia are associated with the solitary tubularian hydroid Ralpharia, but that is not to say in more tropical waters, as you have discovered, that it can potentially feed on a wider variety of cnidarians. What greatly interests me is where it gets its zooxanthellae from? At some early stage in its life cycle it must feed on a cnidarian with zooxanthellae. Have you found a  potential source of zooxanthellae?

I also am uncomfortable with the idea of catching and selling Pteraeolidia as possible biological control agents in aquaria. 

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Dec 13). Comment on Re: I need Pteraeolidia ianthina by Makiko Yorifuji. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15453

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