Dondice occidentalis defensive behavior

November 23, 2006
From: Tony Fernando


Hi Dr. Rudman,

Attached please find photographs of a specimen of Dondice occidentalis that we collected from our raw water upweller. (Water received from Bogue Sound)

Locality: Morehead City, upweller, North Carolina, USA, Bogue Sound, 17 November 2006, raw water (unfiltered) upweller . Length: 25 mm approx. Photographer: Tony Fernando.

We did notice that while all three of the other species we've collected here tend to contract into a ball when handled or disturbed, this one bristles like a hedgehog. The upper photo is a picture of the animal just after being prodded by a pipette and was taken within a minute of the lower photo.

I also have video of the reation, but those files are very large. Also attached is a closeup through the disection scope showing the medial stripe and rhinopores.

Tony Fernando

anthonyfernando@yahoo.com

Fernando, A.V., 2006 (Nov 23) Dondice occidentalis defensive behavior. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18478

Dear Tony,
Thanks for these observations. Quite a few species of this group of aeolids [Family Glaucidae] erect their cerata when disturbed. Have a look at the Defence Fact Sheet for some links. One good example isMoridilla brockii  which has some large red tipped cerata which are usually curled out of the way but uncoil and bristle 'fiercely' when the animal is disturbed. Another species I first found in Tanzania erects all its long cerata and shakes them in the direction of the potential threat. Like your comparision with a hedgehog, it reminded me of the way porcupines shake and shiver their spines in defence, so I named it Sakuraeolis nungunoides, as nungunungu is the Swahili name for the porcupine.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Nov 23). Comment on Dondice occidentalis defensive behavior by Tony Fernando. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/18478

Factsheet

Dondice occidentalis

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