Re: On the Noumea purpurea Colour Group

March 5, 2009
From: N.Barbara Hanchard

Concerning message #22289:

Bill and others,

Scott thanks for the revised ID (Thorunna halourga ) and Gary for the comment on the egg laying side. The photo was taken with a digital SLR using a 105 mm lens so it isn't slide and there is no reversal. Unfortunately I couldn't get a shot of the right side of the slug where you would expect to see the genital opening. All I can think of is that the light pinkish streak that Bill thinks is the final bit of the egg material being extruded from the genital opening isn't and is maybe just variable colouring of the mantle.

Barbara

nbhanchard@gmail.com

Hanchard, N.B., 2009 (Mar 5) Re: On the Noumea purpurea Colour Group. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22308

Dear Barbara,
Thanks for clearing that up. Concerning the lighter coloured material, I still thnk it is probably a bit of 'extra material' being extruded from the genital opening. In my earlier answer to Gary's comment I had already decided the genital opening was on the 'blind' side. So what I was trying to say -but obviously not very clearly - is that sometimes a bit of waste yoke and egg material can be extruded after egg laying and I suspect if we could see the other side of the animal we would see the other end of that light pinkish streak exiting the genital opening. In extreme conditions, all stressed animals are able to produce is incomplete ribbons, much like the extra 'waste' your animal appears to have produced. Usually there are no eggs, or just a few loose eggs, and streaks of yolk.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2009 (Mar 5). Comment on Re: On the Noumea purpurea Colour Group by N.Barbara Hanchard. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22308

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