More pics of Hancockia californica

December 1, 2009
From: John K. Yasaki

Concerning message #21337:

As per my previous message (#22515), this is the second trio of images of Hancockia californica from Pacific Grove, California.

Locality: Lovers Point; Pacific Grove, 35 to 40 fsw, California, USA, Monterey Bay; Pacific Ocean, 31 May 2009, Rocky Reef. Length: 9 to 19 mm (3/8 to 3/4 inch) . Photographer: John Yasaki.

The upper two photos show a pair, which I suspect are mating with a voyeur (Dendronotus frondosus, I believe)

jky

jyasaki@chabotcollege.edu

Yasaki, John K., 2009 (Dec 1) More pics of Hancockia californica. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22516

Thanks John,

The pair may have been mating but if so, they have been disturbed by the Dendronotus, because their heads would need to be about halfway down the other's body for them to be correctly aligned. I have also included a closeup showing a colony of living hydroid polyps at the bottom and the white lines at the top which I suspect are the remains of a hydroid colony after the polyps have been grazed by Hancockia.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2009 (Dec 1). Comment on More pics of Hancockia californica by John K. Yasaki. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22516

Factsheet

Hancockia californica

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