Chromodoris coi in Southern Leyte, Philippines

May 30, 2008
From: Carrie Lo

Concerning message #20191:

Dear Bill,

Here's a pair of mating Chromodoris coi found in Philippines.

Locality: Napantao, 15m, Philippines, 25 Dec 2007. Length: 2 inch. Photographer: Carrie Lo.

Cheers,
Carrie

carrielohc@yahoo.com.hk

Carrie Lo, 2008 (May 30) Chromodoris coi in Southern Leyte, Philippines. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21571

Dear Carrie,

When you find two nudibranchs closely together like this is does not necessarily mean they are mating. Since they have their genital openings on the right side of the body, they need to have their right sides together -starboard to starboard in nautical terms - to have any hope of mating. Which means they should also be facing in opposite directions. When you find them close together like this with their heads both facing the same way, it is often a sign they have found their food - in this case a sponge. If you look at the close-up photo alongside you will see that the lower animal seems to have its buccal bulb extended, which would support the idea that they are feeding. There is a dirty white looking sponge right in front of them, but it doesn't look like Chelonaplysilla violacea, which is the sponge this species has been previously found on [see #15477, #4924 ], but there is a dark brownish patch above the slugs which could be C. violacea. There are a few bits of the same dark sponge alongside the head of the lower chromodorid, so my guess is that your two animals are having  feed.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (May 30). Comment on Chromodoris coi in Southern Leyte, Philippines by Carrie Lo. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21571

Factsheet

Chromodoris coi

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