Re: Limapontia capitata on Vaucheria

November 13, 2009
From: Skip Pierce

Concerning message #22765:

Hi Bill
I'm thinking that I really need to let an algologist take over this discussion. My experience with Vaucheria does not extend any further than V. litorea and V. compacta from salt marshes in New England and the Canadian maritimes. I am not sure what species of it may be present in the Wales' marshes. I am also not trying to say at all (and do not think should be concluded from the photos here) that L. depressa is not eating Vaucheria (sorry for the triple negative). Only that it is impossible (for me) to say from Ian's macro photos of the algal mats in the marshes what species of algae are present-except that there are surely more than one. Also, his higher magnification photo of the egg mass confirms that there is more than one algal species and none in his photo are Vaucheria for the reasons in my earlier message. That does not mean that Vaucheria is not present elsewhere in the mats. Also, as a last comment, the Vaucheria species that I know grow attached to the sediments, not epiphytic on other algae.

 Skip Pierce

pierce@cas.usf.edu

Pierce, S. K., 2009 (Nov 13) Re: Limapontia capitata on Vaucheria. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22780

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