Mating Hexabranchus sanguineus
September 21, 2005
From: R. Grooters & M. Snoek
Hello Bill,
Here we have two pictures from mating Hexabranchus sanguineus, one of which is quite excited showing the red dots. If you zoom in it seems that there a two 'tubes' visible. Can you explain why?
Locality: Manta Reef, Tofo, Mozambique, Indian Ocean. Depth: 15 metres.
Length: about 15 cm each. 23 November 2004. rocky reef. Photographer: Reindert Grooters
Reindert Grooters & Mieke Snoek
mieke.reindert@chello.nl
Grooters, R. & Snoek, M., 2005 (Sep 21) Mating Hexabranchus sanguineus. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14788
Dear Reindert & Mieke,
It is interesting to see this plain orange colour form which I also found in Tanzania, just north of Madagascar. It is hard to be sure if there are two tubes there, but if there are it's what you would expect, as these animals are hermaphrodite, each animal having a fully functional male and female reproductive systems. Sometimes they mate as either a male or a female, but usually mating is reciprocal, so sperm is exchanged during matings by both partners. If there are two tubes here, they will be part of the male reproductive apparatus, each partner inserting its penis into the vaginal opening of the other.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
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