Mucus-eating dorid from Guam
October 13, 2005
From: C.Carlson & P-J.Hoff
Bill,
During a dive behind the house on 2 May 2005, we found a number of
haminoeid egg masses. When this happens, we usually check out some of the
'globs' to see if there are any eolids present. If the eolids don't look
familiar, then we usually bring the egg mass in to check it out. On this
day we found 2 spp of eolid --and a crawling speck that turned out to be
dorid. We removed the dorid to photograph it and then put it back in a
cup with an egg mass from Diniatys dubia (Schepman, 1913). It immediately crawled back inside the mass and appeared to be feeding on the mucous --the same type of action we had observed before. At no time did it appear to be interested in the egg capsules present."
Photos: Dorid sp., 3mm; Guam, Bile Bay, 18m; 2 May 2005. D160. Observed feeding? [middle photo] on the mucus of the egg mass of Diniatys dubia. .
Clay Carlson & Patty Jo Hoff
ccarlson@guam.net
Carlson, C. & Hoff, PJ, 2005 (Oct 13) Mucus-eating dorid from Guam. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14989
Dear Clay & Patty Jo,
It will be interesting to see if anyone else has any similar observations. Certainly easy to overlook at 3 mm in length! I guess I will call it Doris? sp. 12 at this stage
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
