Re: Sacoglossans vs Caulerpa taxifolia

July 18, 2000
From: Dr. Cynthia Trowbridge

Dear Bill,

In case your readers do not know, Caulerpa taxifolia has now appeared in San Diego, Calif. (USA) so the invasive algal spread continues.

I would like to make two comments.

1. The introduction of species for biological control makes the implicit assumption that the control species (in this case, the slugs) will not change diet. Yet, the stenophagous ascoglossans (= sacoglossans) can change their diets on ecological and evolutionary time scales. The change of diet of the N. Atlantic Elysia viridis from Cladophora spp. and Codium tomentosum to Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides and C. fragile ssp. atlanticum this century exemplified the former point. In terms of evolutionary change, there have been 2 major species radiation events in the Order Ascoglossa (=Sacoglossa) associated with change in algal foods. Thus, even marine specialist herbivores have the potential to change their diets.

2. If we were to introduce slugs for biological control (an action that I STRONGLY oppose), I personally feel that we need to evaluate whether species with functional kleptoplasty would be effective at reducing algal populations. So far, all the examples of which I am aware are species that retain non-functional chloroplasts (e.g., Placida dendritica on the Oregon coast, USA and Placida cf. dendritica in Australia). [NOTE: Functional kleptoplasty = removing and keeping algal plastids alive and functioning in your own body]

I would be interested in hearing the views of others on this extremely interesting topic.

Cordially,

Cynthia

Hatfield Marine Science Center
Oregon State University

trowbric@ucs.orst.edu

Trowbridge, C., 2000 (Jul 18) Re: Sacoglossans vs Caulerpa taxifolia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2727

Factsheet

Caulerpa taxifolia in the Mediterranean

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