Godiva quadricolor from Western Australia

January 2, 2003
From: Masoud Abadi


Hi,
I have been using your site to confirm my novice Nudibranch photos and get more info on them. Thanks for a great site, I love it.

On a dive in the Swan River, Perth, Western Australia, 27 December 2002 we captured the beautiful Godiva quadricolor on camera. We think it was laying eggs. Sandy/muddy bottom 13 meters deep. Can you please confirm it was laying eggs… Otherwise what are the white ribbons??

Happy new year :)
Regards,
Masoud
www.theinternetmen.com/dive

masoud@theinternetmen.com

Abadi, M., 2003 (Jan 2) Godiva quadricolor from Western Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8759

Dear Masoud,
Thanks for the photos. Yes the white string is its egg ribbon. Like most nudibranchs, it lays its eggs in a spiral ribbon. In this case the ribbon is a thin folded string. The upper photo shows the characteristic defence behaviour of species of Godiva and some other genera of aeolids. When disturbed they can erect their cerata. This not only makes them look bigger, but defends their body by surrounding it with the stinging nematocysts that are stored in the cnidosacs at the tips of the cerata.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Jan 2). Comment on Godiva quadricolor from Western Australia by Masoud Abadi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8759

Factsheet

Godiva quadricolor

Related messages

  1. Godiva quadricolor from South Africa
    From: Dave Ellis, April 6, 2007
  2. Godiva quadricolor from South Africa
    From: Andrew Higgs, June 2, 2006
  3. Godiva quadricolor from Mediterranean
    From: Juan Lucas Cervera, July 30, 2002
  4. Re: Godiva quadricolor
    From: Britt and Kirsty, July 27, 2002
  5. Godiva quadricolor 'swarming'
    From: Valda Fraser, August 24, 2001
  6. Godiva quadricolor from South Africa
    From: Valda Fraser, June 5, 2001
  7. Godiva quadricolor? from South Africa
    From: Ernest C.J. Seamark, July 21, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages