Spurilla neapolitana predator

March 31, 2008
From: Joao Pedro Silva

Dear Bill,

Last saturday me and my wife went for a nocturnal dive in Baleal. As we don't have much experience on night dives, I decided it would be better to leave the photo gear at home. Of course, animals detect the absence of such equipment and use these opportunities to show the least seen behaviors.

Before this dive I had only seen Spurilla neapolitana in the intertidal zone. They can be quite abundant in August in a particular area in Baleal and are easily found in rock pools during the low tide. This time I found two. One was crawling over a well known wreck at 8 m depth. The other was found at the end of the dive, near the beach, just 4 m deep... trapped by the chelipeds of a crab, Necora puber. No photos, I'm afraid, but my wife can provide a sworn statement.
Is there any previous record of Spurilla neapolitana being being preyed by crabs, like Necora puber?

Locality: Baleal, between 3 and 8 meters, Portugal, North Atlantic, 03 November 2007, wreckl. Length: 3cm

Best regards,
Joao Pedro

jpsilva@uwphotographer.net

Silva, J. P., 2008 (Mar 31) Spurilla neapolitana predator. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21086

Dear Joao Pedro,

Thanks for the interesting observation which is a nice addition to the nudibranch predation page. One of the reasons for starting the page was to accumulate this sort of information which is usually not published. If we looked through publications on the feeding behaviour of crabs we might find some information on any nudibranchs being eaten but it is unlikely. So trying to work back from the potential 'victim' would be impossibly time-consuming. So I can't say if anyone has recorded anything eating Spurilla neapolitana, but hopefully if anyone has any information they will let us know. 

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Mar 31). Comment on Spurilla neapolitana predator by Joao Pedro Silva. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21086

Factsheet

Spurilla neapolitana

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