Chromodoris conchyliata feeding observation

May 8, 2007
From: Hugues Flodrops


Concerning message #14945:

Dear Bill,
I'm pretty sure that Chromodoris conchyliata is feeding on this purple sponge. I saw three specimen during the night, feeding in different parts of the same pool always on this kind of darwinellid purple sponge.
Is it Chelonaplysilla violacea?

Locality: Etang Salé. Permanent pool, depth between 50 cm and 100 cm, Reunion Island, Indian Ocean, Upper: 5 April 2007, length 20 mm - at night. Middle:  28 April 2007, length 35 mm. Lower: 8 April 2007, length 30 mm. Photo: Hugues Flodrops.

Thanks for your knowledge.
Best regards.
Hugues

hugues.flodrops@wanadoo.fr

Flodrops, H., 2007 (May 8) Chromodoris conchyliata feeding observation. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19889

Dear Hugues,
Thanks for this. At the conference in Bonn last year I predicted that this species would feed on Chelonaplysilla violacea and your observations certainly suggest that it does. While finding one animal on this sponge could be considered a coincidence, finding three is pretty convincing - and from looking at the markings on the slugs, they certainly appear to be three different individuals. Apart from being very similar in colour to C.geometrica, which feeds on this sponge, another reason for thinking it would feed on this sponge is that it has a purple patch on the underside of the anterior mantle, and five other species with the same purple patch also feed on this sponge.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (May 8). Comment on Chromodoris conchyliata feeding observation by Hugues Flodrops. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19889

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