Ercolania endophytophaga
Jensen, 1999
Order: SACOGLOSSA
Superfamily: LIMAPONTIOIDEA
Family: Limapontiidae
DISTRIBUTION
Indo-West Pacific?
PHOTO
Swain Reefs, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, 10m, 13mm long alive. Inside Valonia sp.. PHOTO: Ian Loch.
Recently named from specimens found inside the large cells of the green alga Struvea plumosa in Western Australia. These photos are of an animal found inside the giant cells of Valonia on the Great Barrier Reef. It has a single row of dark green cerata down each side of the body. There is a single duct of the digestive gland down each side into which the cerata open, and this duct continues forward into the basal third of the rhinophores.
See Yasuhiro Shirai's message for a photo of Valonia.
Reference:
• Jensen, K.R. (1999) A new species of Sacoglossa (Mollusca, Opisthobranchia) from Rottnest Island, Western Australia. [In]: D.J.Walker & F.E.Wells (Eds). The Seagrass Flora and Fauna of Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Western Australian Museum, Perth : 377-383.
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (March 3) Ercolania endophytophaga Jensen, 1999. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/ercoendo
Related messages
The Valonia-feeder Ercolania endophytophaga
March 4, 2000
From: Bill Rudman
In answer to Yasuhiro Shirai's query about Ercolania boodleae possibly eating Valonia I have added a page on the recently named Ercolania endophytophaga which definitely does feed on Valonia - but from the inside!
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.
