Placida cf. dendritica & hypodermic insemination

March 26, 2000
From: C. Trowbridge

Dear Bill,

Hi. Just another note about Stephanie's message on "Placida dendritica". You mentioned that in New Zealand this species inseminates partners. The reference for this is under the earlier name Hermaea aoteana Powell on p. 378 in:
• Reid, J.D. (1964) The repoduction of the ascoglossan opisthobranch Elysia maoria. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 143(3): 365-393.

Also, regarding your comments that random injection anywhere on the body has been reported in a couple of species of Elysia but not for stiligerids, I refer you to my paper on the New Zealand Ercolania felina (= Stiliger felinus):
• Trowbridge, C.D. (1995) Hypodermic insemination, oviposition, and embryonic development of a pool-dwelling ascoglossan (=sacoglossan)opisthobranch: Ercolania felina (Hutton, 1882) on New Zealand shores. The Veliger, 38: 203-211.

I recall that Cadet Hand found that Alderia modesta randomly injected conspecifics as well in the following:
• Hand, C. & Steinberg, J. (1955) On the occurrence of the nudibranch Alderia modesta (Loven, 1844) on the central California coast. The Nautilus, 69: 22

Also, in Bleakney's paper uniting Hermaea aoteana, Placida dendritica, etc., I do believe that there may be a SEM of the penial style. Bleakney writes in detail why he considers the species to be a single, world-wide species.
• Bleakney, J.S. (1989) Morphological variation in the radula of Placida dendritica (Alder & Hancock, 1843) (Opisthobranchia: Ascoglossa/Sacoglossa) from Atlantic and Pacific populations. The Veliger, 32: 171-181.

Cordially,
Cynthia

P.S. Keep up the great work!

trowbric@ucs.orst.edu

Trowbridge, C., 2000 (Mar 26) Placida cf. dendritica & hypodermic insemination. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2152

Dear Cynthia,
Thanks for filling in the details. I remember when I was a student in Auckland, how we use to collect "Hermaea aoteana" & "Stiliger felinus" and watch them 'sneak up' on others of their kind and quickly stab them with their penial stylet. Clearly no thought of political correctness or sexual equality. I think it was not long after someone, (whose name escapes me), had published a paper on one of the species which aims so well at the hidden bursa copulatrix or sperm sac. What I find really amazing is the idea that in some species the injected sperm packet can somehow trigger off the growth of a sperm receptacle to enclose the injected sperm, and then grow a duct to connect the new sperm sac to the reproductive organs.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Mar 26). Comment on Placida cf. dendritica & hypodermic insemination by C. Trowbridge. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2152

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