Ceratosoma brevicaudatum laying eggs

April 10, 2007
From: Leanne & David Atkinson

Dear Bill,
Our dive buddy Greg Convery spotted this Ceratosoma brevicaudatum laying eggs. We know we've already sent you one of it laying eggs but thought this one was up higher and we were able to get better photos of it.

Locality: Fly Point Marine Reserve, Port Stephens, 8 metres, New South Wales, Australia, Pacific, 10 March 2007, Sandy bottom scattered sponges, seagrasses, soft corals, ascidians and bryozoans. Length: Approximately 80 mm. Photographer: Leanne & David Atkinson.

Hope they are of use.
Regards,
Leanne & David Atkinson

atk@hunterlink.net.au

Atkinson, L. & D., 2007 (Apr 10) Ceratosoma brevicaudatum laying eggs. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19745

Dear Leanne & David,
Thanks for these nice photos. I couldn't resist including a close-up showing three interesting features [middle right photo]. In the upper ring is one of the orange mantle glands which contains distasteful chemicals from the sponges it feeds on. In the middle ring is a commensal copepod crustacean with 2 egg sacs, and the bottom ring shows the short 'tail' which gives this species its name [brevi = short; caudatum = tail]. This swollen 'tail' stores most of the antifeedant chemicals and because it is a contrast in colour to the rest of the animal, I have hypothesised that it acts as a lure, attracting fish to taste the most distasteful and unnneeded part of the body.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Apr 10). Comment on Ceratosoma brevicaudatum laying eggs by Leanne & David Atkinson. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19745

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Ceratosoma brevicaudatum

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