Tritoniid sp. 1.

Order: NUDIBRANCHIA
Suborder: DENDRONOTINA
Family: Tritoniidae

PHOTO

South coast KwaZulu-Natal SOUTH AFRICA. near Port Shepstone - 44m. March 2000, 45mm long. PHOTO: Valda Fraser.

See message below.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2000 (March 30) Tritoniid sp. 1. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/tritsp1

Related messages


Reproductive Organs in tritoniid

April 4, 2000
From: Valda Fraser

Dear Bill
This "thing" is on the right-hand side of the Tritoniid sp 1. I would very much like to know what it is? I thought ... maybe eggs.
Regards
Valda Fraser

iti04937@mweb.co.za

Fraser, V., 2000 (Apr 4) Reproductive Organs in tritoniid. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2186

Dear Valda,
Definitely reproductive, but not eggs. It is the extended penis. In some species the penial papillae apparently is inserted some distance into the partner's body so as to deposit sperm directly into a sperm sac. However, as you might imagine, much of our understanding of the mechanics of mating in molluscs is based on our interpretation of how various organs fit together based on their shape. We can't actually see what happens internally and in many cases we have no idea of the shape of some of these organs during mating.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Apr 4). Comment on Reproductive Organs in tritoniid by Valda Fraser. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2186

Tritoniid from South Africa

March 31, 2000
From: Valda Fraser

Dear Bill
My flash did not behave well! I hope that you can seen enough to identify this creature.
Locality: South coast KwaZulu-Natal SOUTH AFRICA. near Port Shepstone - 44m
Date: March 2000
Size: 45mm
Regards
Valda Fraser

iti04937@mweb.co.za

Fraser, V., 2000 (Mar 31) Tritoniid from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2165

Dear Valda,
Despite your flash problems I can see enough to know that you have something very interesting here. Although it has no gills along the mantle edge, the shape of the rhinophores clearly shows that it is a tritoniid. However I don't know any tritoniid that doesn't have gills. The best I can do is call it 'Tritoniid sp. 1'.

best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Mar 31). Comment on Tritoniid from South Africa by Valda Fraser. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2165