Bornella anguilla feasts upon hydroids

October 30, 2007
From: David Mullins

Dear Bill,
Here are some pics of Bornella anguilla feeding and mating.

I have taken the feeding pics from the opposite side of the hydroid to the nudibranch. In one pic [middle left] as it approaches the hydroid the polyps at the top at the end of the stem can be observed to still be expanded unaware of their fate. In the second pic [middle right ] it is possible to see the extended buccal bulb and the branches of the hydroid being drawn into the mouth to be stripped of its polyps.

Locality: Old Woman Island, Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast, 12 metres, Queensland, Australia., Pacific Ocean., 14 October 2007, Rocky reef. Length: 70 mm. Photographer: David Mullins.

This species has been so prolific at this particular site at Old Woman Island that we have named the site "Bornella Reef" (just for our own convenience of course).

Also I must add that this is the only species of hydroid that I have observed Bornella anguilla eating here on the Sunshine Coast.
Hoping that this is of use to the forum,
Kind regards,
David Mullins.

david@nudibranch.com.au

Mullins, D.A., 2007 (Oct 30) Bornella anguilla feasts upon hydroids. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20964

Dear David,
Thanks for these interesting pictures. Hopefully a expert on hydroids can identify this colony from the rather characteristic colony structure. It is always useful in cases like this to send a high resolution photo so I can include a 'closeup' showing the detailed structure of the colony.

I have included alongside a close-up to show the extended polyps you mention.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Oct 30). Comment on Bornella anguilla feasts upon hydroids by David Mullins. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20964

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