Chromodoris clenchi feeding

September 28, 2007
From: Anne DuPont

Concerning message #20272:

Hello Bill,

More chromodorid feeding photos for you. I observed these two Chromodoris clenchi "munching away" on this purple sponge. When they moved away, you can see the area where they had eaten the sponge.

Locality: West Palm Beach,  15 feet, Florida USA, Atlantic Ocean, August 16, 2007. Length: Appx 8 mm each. Photographer: Anne DuPont.

Thanks again for the Forum.
Cordially,
Anne DuPont
Delray Beach, Florida, USA

akdupont@bellsouth.net

DuPont, A., 2007 (Sep 28) Chromodoris clenchi feeding. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20835

Dear Anne,

Thanks for this valuable observation - which I think is the first feeding record for this species. My guess is that this sponge is as a species of Chelonaplysilla - a Caribbean counterpart to the Indo-West Pacific C. violacea, perhaps. Species of Chelonaplysilla are unique within the Darwinellidae in having sand grains incorporated in their skeleton, which gives them a rough sand-papery feel.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Sep 28). Comment on Chromodoris clenchi feeding by Anne DuPont. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20835

Factsheet

Chromodoris clenchi

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