Re: Phyllodesmium longicirrum feeding

December 6, 2006
From: Michael Henke

Concerning message #18808:

Dear Bill,
Thanks for your comments. What I especially wanted to know is what is the little round part of the Phyllodesmium longicirrum. It doesn't look like feeding. Maybe it's an egg?
Best wishes,
Michael

Henke@mededv.de

Henke, M., 2006 (Dec 6) Re: Phyllodesmium longicirrum feeding. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18948

Dear Michael,
As well as your close-up, I've added a couple of close-ups as well from your earlier photos. I ma pretty sure the round thing is attached to the white bit. I at first thought this was part of the reproductive system but it's in the wrong place. I am pretty sure its part of the same phenomenon that has caused the white cerata. It seems to be some aberrant regrowth after some injury. I'm sorry I can't be more specific but if I had the animal in front of me I could give it a gentle poke and prod just to get a better idea of what this structure is. All I can say is that it is abnormal and definitely isn't anything to do with feeding. You can see the head in the bottom right photo. I have ringed one of the oral tentacles. I am not quite sure why the oral tentacles are so contracted - perhaps they are sensitive to some defensive chemical the soft coral is exuding?

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Dec 6). Comment on Re: Phyllodesmium longicirrum feeding by Michael Henke. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18948

Factsheet

Phyllodesmium longicirrum

Related messages

  1. Re: Phyllodesmium longicirrum feeding
    From: Michael Henke, December 8, 2006
  2. Phyllodesmium longicirrum feeding
    From: Michael Henke, December 6, 2006
  3. Phyllodesmium longicirrum on Sarcophyton
    From: Mary Jane Adams, January 15, 2004
  4. Phyllodesmium longicirrum - Lembeh Straits [2]
    From: Rich, October 14, 2003
  5. Phyllodesmium longicirrum - Lembeh Straits
    From: Paul Whitehead, October 14, 2003
  6. Phyllodesmium longicirrum from Sulawesi
    From: Mary Jane Adams , December 18, 2002
  7. Juvenile Phyllodesmium longicirra
    From: Mary Jane Adams, May 10, 2002
  8. Phyllodesmium longicirrum feeding
    From: Mary Jane Adams , September 10, 2001
  9. Natural history of Phyllodesmium longicirrum
    From: Derek Carmona, September 7, 2001
  10. Information on Phyllodesmium spp.
    From: Delisse M. Ortiz, October 7, 1999
  11. Phyllodesmium longicirrum - feeding
    From: Monica Sullivan, June 19, 1999
  12. Phyllodesmium longicirra? or -cirrum?
    From: Erwin Koehler, February 16, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages