Mating Elysia ornata from Florida

August 8, 2008
From: Linda Ianniello

Concerning message #21261:

Dr. Bill
Attached is an image of mating Elysia ornata from the Atlantic. They look just like the Pacific ones, but are "doing something interesting".

Locality: Lake Worth Lagoon, 10 feet, Florida, USA, Atlantic Ocean, 25 July 2008, Intracoastal, tidal. Photographer: Linda Ianniello.

Regards,
Linda I.

lindai1@bellsouth.net

Ianniello, L.M., 2008 (Aug 8) Mating Elysia ornata from Florida. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21762

Thanks Linda,

I have a memory of an article discussing mating in E. ornata, but I have drawn a blank with both my memory and my database. Sacoglossans are quite diverse in their mating habits, and while some still make use of genital openings, quite a few have a needle-like tip to their penis and use it to insert the penis - and the sperm - directly through the skin and body wall, into the body cavity of their partner.

Your photo supports my feeling from the earlier message [#21261 ] that in E. ornata mating follows a more normal procedure. The white duct [ringed in photo alongside] is the penis of the animal on the left which is acting as the male. The basal part of the penis is quite thick while the terminal part is very slender. I suspect in this photo the penis is being withdrawn from the female genital opening of its partner. This opening is situated behind the 'neck' on the right of the mid-dorsal pericardial ridge which we can see quite clearly in your photo. In the earlier message both partners seemed to be acting as male and female partners. In your photo it looks like only one was acting as male. I guess it just depends on position.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Aug 8). Comment on Mating Elysia ornata from Florida by Linda Ianniello. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21762

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