A damaged Aglaja tricolorata

September 4, 2008
From: Dominique Horst

Concerning message #21676:

Hi Bill,

It seems that even Aglaja has repulsive chemicals to avoid aggression. This photo shows that even though a first bite can cause quite a lot of damage, the animal survives.

Locality: Cagnes, 4 m, France, Mediterranean sea, 29 August 2008, muddy. Length: 40 mm. Photographer: Dominique Horst.

Kind regards,
Dominique

dominique.horst@wanadoo.fr

Horst, D., 2008 (Sep 4) A damaged Aglaja tricolorata. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21857

Dear Dom,

Thanks for the photos. Like most sea slugs, aglajids have skin glands which deter predators. Two other things I can note in your photos is that the animal is being 'trailed' by another [see your message #21709] and in the close-up alongside I can just make out the sensory bristles which are characteristic of aglajids and occur in clusters on each side of the mouth. They are most obvious in the genus Chelidonura [see C. hirundinina Fact Sheet].

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Sep 4). Comment on A damaged Aglaja tricolorata by Dominique Horst. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21857

Factsheet

Aglaja tricolorata

Related messages

  1. Re: Aglaja tricolorata 'colour variation'
    From: Dominique Horst, August 17, 2009
  2. Re: Aglaja tricolorata 'feeding'
    From: Dominique Horst, September 5, 2008
  3. Aglaja tricolorata 'trailing'
    From: Dominique Horst, July 17, 2008
  4. Re: Aglaja tricolorata from the French mediterranean
    From: Dominique Horst, July 7, 2008
  5. Aglaja tricolorata from the French mediterranean
    From: Dominique Horst, July 4, 2008
  6. Aglaja tricolorata from Malta
    From: Patricia Peels, February 1, 2007

Show factsheet and all related messages