Pleurobranchaea cf. japonica - mating behavior [3]

April 26, 2005
From: Dong Bum Koh

Dear Bill,
Concerning the mating behavior of Pleurobranchaea cf. japonica. Here are a set of photos for your Forum, showing egg laying. [see also #13642, #13643.]

Locality: Sasu Harbour, nth coast of Jeju Island, Sth Korea. Depth: 5 m. Length: about 65 mm. 27 June 2004. Sandy bottom with Rock. Photographer: Byung Ro Youn

Best regards,
Dong Bum Koh

drkoh@seasee.co.kr

D. B. Koh, 2005 (Apr 26) Pleurobranchaea cf. japonica - mating behavior [3]. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13638

Thanks Koh,
I at first thought that this photo was reversed, as it seems to show the egg ribbon being extruded from the left side of the animal, which would have been wrong, because the reproductive openings are on the right side, just in front of the gill.

However, as the close-up shows, the egg ribbon is passing out from under the foot. Quite a few opisthobranchs seem to manipulate the egg ribbon with the foot, helping to shape it and attach it at least in some dorids, and it seems from this photo that Pleurobranchaea does something similar. This is a very valuable observation.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Apr 26). Comment on Pleurobranchaea cf. japonica - mating behavior [3] by Dong Bum Koh. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/13638

Factsheet

Pleurobranchaea cf. japonica

Related messages

  1. Re: egg laying in Pleurobranchaea
    From: Dong Bum Koh, April 27, 2005
  2. Pleurobranchaea cf. japonica - mating behavior [1]
    From: Dong Bum Koh, April 26, 2005
  3. Pleurobranchaea cf. japonica - mating behavior (2)
    From: Dong Bum Koh, April 26, 2005
  4. Pleurobranchaea japonica laying eggs
    From: Dong Bum Koh, April 25, 2005

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