Nembrotha chamberlaini feeding, Philippines

July 1, 2008
From: Marcel Tanke


Dear Bill,
During a dive in Puerto Galere we saw a couple of Nembrotha chamberlaini feeding on blue sea squirts. At least it seemed that they were biting in it, I could not see pieces eaten away already. The sea squirts didn't like it, they have their mouths closed.

Locality: Puerto Galere, 15 m, Philippines, 8 February 2008, reef. Length: 10 cm. Photographer: Marcel Tanke.

Best regards,
Marcel

marceltanke@cs.com

Tanke, M.A., 2008 (Jul 1) Nembrotha chamberlaini feeding, Philippines. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21651

Dear Marcel,

This bright blue ascidian appears to be a species of the genus Rhopalaea. A number of different species of Nembrotha seem to feed on it.  Interestingly, most records I have seen of species of Nembrotha feeding on these 'solitary' ascidians suggest that they insert their long tube-like proboscis into what you call the sea squirt's mouths. There is a good photo  of  N. lineolata  doing this in message #16176. As I describe on the ascidian Fact Sheet, the blue object in your photo is a tough leathery sac which protects the soft body parts inside. The 'mouths' you mention are two openings so that a current of fresh sea water is available to the ascidian which feeds by filtering tiny particles from the seawater. The Nembrotha is intersted in the soft fleshy body inside the sac and has found that the easiest way in is through the two openings. I am not sure if it can burrow through the leathery wall of the outer sac. It would be interesting to see if anyone has photos of this happening.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Jul 1). Comment on Nembrotha chamberlaini feeding, Philippines by Marcel Tanke. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21651

Factsheet

Nembrotha chamberlaini

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