Re: Flabellina trophina feeding and laying eggs

October 8, 2008
From: Jackie Hildering

Concerning message #21924:

Hello Bill,

Since our first posting our observations re. Flabellina trophina on the tube worms back in 2004 [#12533 ], we have become a lot wiser. This, thanks to the SSF.

We believe that the correct interpretation of our observations is that we are seeing F. trophina on the tubeworm Spiochaetopterus costarum. F. trophina is not feeding on the tubeworm but rather on hydroids growing on the outside of the tubeworm. We have noted that where the animals have eaten and where they have laid their egg masses, the exterior of the tubeworm is grazed off. I hope this is possible to interpret from the photos.

Therefore, it is not "breaking any rules" as it is not feeding on the tubeworm but rather on hydroids on the outside of the worm.

Locality: Bear Cove, 40 feet, British Columbia, Pacific Ocean, 04 May 2007, Muddy. Length: 10 cm . Photographer: Jackie Hildering.

Jackie Hildering

earthlingenterprises@telus.net

Hildering, J., 2008 (Oct 8) Re: Flabellina trophina feeding and laying eggs. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21931

Dear Jackie,

Thanks for the follow up. As you will see from the other replies I have posted today, there now seems to be general agreement on the identity of the worm tubes. As Jeff Goddard mentions [#21936 ], Irina Roginskaya in an earlier message reports finding setae and parts of chaetopterid worms in the gut of specimens [#9702 ], which seem more than inadvertent 'bycatch'. The presence of the aeolid on the chateopterid worm tubes, and worm parts in their stomachs, would seem pretty good evidence that they eat the worms, at least as part of their diet. It would be nice to actually catch them eating a worm or some hydroids - or both - but I guess we can't have everything. I must admit the strange cone-like head-foot structure looks as though it is a modification for tube-dwelling and even tube-feeding. If that is so, feeding must be an interesting sight.

As to your suggestion that the clean tube at the top is evidence of them eating the hydroids, this is not necessarily so. Firstly, eolids tend to eat only the hydroid polyps so the dead 'stalks' would still be attached to the worm tube. And secondly, a more likely explanation for the clean part of the tube is that it is continually lengthening, and the clean part has not as yet been overgrown with epiphtyes and epizooids. Its also possible that the worms keep the end of their tubes clean.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Oct 8). Comment on Re: Flabellina trophina feeding and laying eggs by Jackie Hildering. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21931

Factsheet

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