Re: Diaphorodoris papillata from the Mediterranean

June 20, 2007
From: Dominique Horst

Concerning message #16760:

Hello,
I cannot resist to send these pictures to the forum. This Mediterranean Diaphorodoris papillata is one of the most colourful I've ever met in our area.

Locality: Cap d'Antibes, 18 m, France, Mediterranean sea, 8 April 2007. Length: 4-7 mm. Photographer: Dominique HORST.

I didn't notice it before, but it seems that eyes are located at the root of the rhinophores which are transparent. Could you confirm that these black point are the eyes and the transparent rhinophore a kind of protection through which they can see ?

Many thanks and kind regards,
Dominique

dominique.horst@wanadoo.fr

Horst, D., 2007 (Jun 20) Re: Diaphorodoris papillata from the Mediterranean. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20020

Dear Dom,
You are allowed to share photos and observations that excite you  - I can assure you there are many equally eccentric visitors to the forum who find such things just as fascinating.

The small black spots are indeed their eyes which are attached to the side of their cerebral ganglia which is part of an aggregation of nerve cells which forms a collar around the oesophagus, and can be called their 'brain'.

Many nudibranchs with a heavily pigmented skin have a pigmentless 'window' like this which certainly allows light to reach the eyes. Have a look at the centre right photo in message #19132 which shows similar clear patches in Tambja abdere. Since their eyes can't form images, these 'windows' are not for the view, but they may allow the eyes to see shadows passing over the body and warn of a potential predator, or they may just help set the animal's 'body clock' so it knows night from day.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Jun 20). Comment on Re: Diaphorodoris papillata from the Mediterranean by Dominique Horst. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20020

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