Re: I need Pteraeolidia ianthina

December 13, 2005
From: Makiko Yorifuji

I'm a graduate student working on the life history of Pteraeolidia ianthina under Dr. Yoshiaki Hirano. Please give Yoshi my regards. I've just read the message about P. ianthina dated Oct. 4, 2005 [#14917 ] and I'd like to share some of my findings on this sea slug with you.

First, I've seen P. ianthina crawling or staying on/near Myrionema amboinense in the field (Okinawa, Japan). I've confirmed that P. ianthina eats M. amboinense in the laboratory. Second, I found many kinds of nematocysts probably derived from many hydroids in the cnidosacs of the slug. Prey hydroids of this slug I've confirmed so far include Tubularia, Eudendrium spp., Halocordyle disticha, in addition to M. amboinense. This slug may even eat some other cnidarians. When I gave a species of swimming anemone to hungry slugs of P. ianthina (those kept without food for about 3 months) on trial, some of them ate the sea anemone. Also I've seen a slug of P. ianthina biting a stauromedusa (Stenoscyphus inabai) in a small container in which a student was keeping these two animals together for a few hours after collecting. So, I think P. ianthina has a wide spectrum of food as an adult. Moreover, as they can survive for about a half year only with light (no prey), they may not eat Myrionema so frequently.

Besides, I'm cautious about selling and/or buying sea slugs for a personal hobby. I don't think using P. ianthina to get rid of Myrionema hydroids is a good idea.

Makiko Yorifuji

yorifuji@graduate.chiba-u.jp

Yorifuji, M, 2005 (Dec 13) Re: I need Pteraeolidia ianthina. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15453

Dear Makiko,
Thanks for this interesting information. I remember Dr Hirano mentioning he had a graduate student studying Pteraeolidia. Certainly in northern New South Wales, adult Pteraeolidia are associated with the solitary tubularian hydroid Ralpharia, but that is not to say in more tropical waters, as you have discovered, that it can potentially feed on a wider variety of cnidarians. What greatly interests me is where it gets its zooxanthellae from? At some early stage in its life cycle it must feed on a cnidarian with zooxanthellae. Have you found a  potential source of zooxanthellae?

I also am uncomfortable with the idea of catching and selling Pteraeolidia as possible biological control agents in aquaria. 

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Dec 13). Comment on Re: I need Pteraeolidia ianthina by Makiko Yorifuji. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15453

Related messages

  1. Juvenile Pteraeolidia from Sabah, Malysia
    From: Mirjam Broos, November 23, 2009
  2. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Reunion Island
    From: Sully Bachel, November 23, 2009
  3. Colour form of Pteraeolidia ianthina
    From: Ann Clear, October 29, 2008
  4. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Mayotte island
    From: Eva Fontaine, October 3, 2008
  5. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Vanuatu
    From: Leanne & David Atkinson, September 23, 2008
  6. Pteraeolidia ianthina from the Philippines
    From: Jeffrey C. de Guzman, September 19, 2008
  7. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Tonga
    From: Marcel Tanke, September 18, 2008
  8. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Fiji
    From: Marcel Tanke, September 18, 2008
  9. Re: head of Pteraeolidia ianthina
    From: Nicholas Missenden, September 16, 2008
  10. Photos of Pteraeolidia ianthina
    From: Sukhdev Singh, September 16, 2008
  11. Pteraeolidia ianthina: looks like something everted
    From: Roland Bircher, August 13, 2008
  12. Pteraeolidia ianthina from the Philippines
    From: Carrie Lo, July 28, 2008
  13. Pteraeolidia ianthina (?) from Mozambique
    From: Natasja Vandeperre, September 20, 2007
  14. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Port Noarlunga, SA
    From: Stephen J. Reynolds, January 16, 2007
  15. New feeding record for Pteraeolidia ianthina
    From: Bruce Wilkie, December 5, 2006
  16. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Sipadan trip
    From: Charles Rowe, July 21, 2006
  17. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Bali
    From: Kevin Lee, July 13, 2006
  18. Re: Closer look at Pteraeolidia ianthina's head
    From: Carol Yin, June 3, 2006
  19. Closer look at Pteraeolidia ianthina's head
    From: Erwin Kodiat, February 7, 2006
  20. Nudibranch - The Blue Dragon
    From: Aisha. E, February 2, 2006
  21. Re: I need Pteraeolidia ianthina
    From: Albert Jeffers, October 6, 2005
  22. I need Pteraeolidia ianthina
    From: Albert B Jeffers, October 4, 2005
  23. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Malaysia
    From: Umut Tural, September 10, 2005
  24. Pteraeolidia ianthina from West Malaysia
    From: Ho Wei Kwok Alvin, June 2, 2005
  25. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Reunion Island
    From: Philibert Bidgrain, March 1, 2005
  26. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Bali
    From: Rainer Mau, February 23, 2005
  27. Thank you
    From: Toshiko Tani, December 31, 2004
  28. Sea Slug or Centipede?
    From: Toshiko Tani, December 30, 2004
  29. Juvenile Pteraeolidia ianthina from Philippines
    From: Matthias Huerlimann, December 30, 2004
  30. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Sth Africa
    From: Riaan Marx, February 21, 2004
  31. Juvenile Pteraeolidia ianthina
    From: Frank Weber, February 1, 2004
  32. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Indonesia
    From: Dana Africa, January 30, 2004
  33. Pteraeolidia ianthina laying eggs - Nelson Bay
    From: Dave Harasti, December 20, 2003
  34. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Malaysia
    From: Asther M. Lau, May 24, 2003
  35. Pteraeolidia ianthina with eggs
    From: Leanne & David Atkinson, April 5, 2003
  36. Pteraeolidia ianthina mating
    From: Mary Jane Adams, March 25, 2003
  37. Pteraeolidia ianthina from North Sulawesi
    From: Marli Wakeling, October 13, 2002
  38. Pteraeolida ianthina from Red Sea
    From: Michael Mrutzek, September 27, 2002
  39. Juvenile Pteraeolidia ianthina? from Tioman
    From: Maliza Anuar, July 31, 2002
  40. Pteraeolidia ianthina? from Tioman
    From: Maliza Anuar, July 30, 2002
  41. Pteraeolidia from Tioman, Malaysia
    From: Maliza Anuar, July 16, 2002
  42. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Philippines
    From: Stewart L. Sy, June 2, 2002
  43. Pteraeolidia from Papua New Guinea
    From: Marli Wakeling, October 10, 2001
  44. Pteraeolidia ianthina from NE Sulawesi
    From: Jim Anderson, September 22, 2001
  45. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Sagami Bay
    From: Nishina Masayoshi, August 23, 2001
  46. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Indonesia
    From: Yasman, December 24, 2000
  47. Pteraeolidia - brooding eggs
    From: Akos Lumnitzer, June 2, 2000
  48. White Pteraeolidia ianthina from South Africa
    From: Valda Fraser, March 10, 2000
  49. Pteraeolidia ianthina from Hawaii
    From: Anne Dupont, December 22, 1999
  50. Forms of Pteraeolidia ianthina
    From: C. Carlson & P.J. Hoff, December 10, 1999
  51. Feeding? Pteraeolidia from Vanuatu
    From: Vinka Stenhouse, November 21, 1999
  52. An 'elastic' aeolid from South Africa
    From: Valda Fraser, November 20, 1999
  53. Re: Pteraeolidia from Sydney
    From: Max Gillies, August 18, 1999
  54. Re: Pteraeolidia from Sydney
    From: Betsey Hansen, August 18, 1999
  55. Pteraeolidia from Sydney
    From: Betsey Hansen, August 8, 1999
  56. Pteraeolidia juvenile?
    From: Erwin Koehler, February 24, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages