Separating Ink Components of Aplysia dactylometa?

March 6, 2006
From: Scott Schwartz

Hi,
I'm doing an undergraduate study on Aplysia dactylomela and I was hoping to separately test the effects of the different ink components (like opaline) on predators. Is there an easy way to separate the ink, such as putting it in a centrifuge?

Locality: Discovery Bay Marine Lab, Jamaica, Carribean

Thanks,
-Scott

lordvoldemort@hotmail.com

Schwartz, S.W., 2006 (Mar 6) Separating Ink Components of Aplysia dactylometa?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16012

Dear Scott,
It's a bit outside my area of expertise. I guess you have looked at the page of references on secretions in Aplysia, some of which apply to work on A. dactyomela. Also have a look at the messages on this page. One difficulty in all work on opisthobranchs is avoiding your sample being contaminated with the normal mucus secretions which these animals produce almost continuously.  I don't know how much time you have, but it seems Aplysia can be effectively 'de-inked' [of the purple/red ink] by removing red algae from the diet. It's possible that you could at least sort out the opaline secretion if you fed some solely on green algae. The other thing is that the opaline gland opens on the floor of the mantle cavity while the purple gland opens on the 'roof' [see mantle cavity Fact Sheet; and my reply to an earlier message #7872]. Perhaps you will find someway to physically separate the secretions.

Perhaps someone else will have some ideas,
Good Luck,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Mar 6). Comment on Separating Ink Components of Aplysia dactylometa? by Scott Schwartz. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16012

Factsheet

Ink glands

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