Re: Hypselodoris tricolor on Cacospongia

November 4, 2008
From: Philippe Perrier


Concerning message #22011:

Here is a photo of mine showing Hypselodoris tricolor and its egg ribbon on the sponge Cacospongia. The ribbon is approx 5 mm high and the diameter of the whole egg mass is approximately 30 mm.

Locality: La Ciotat, Provence, France, Mediterranean coast, 16 m  [dive site 'La Balise'], 2 August 2007. Photo: Philippe Perrier.
   
Philippe Perrier.

Perrier, P., 2008 (Nov 4) Re: Hypselodoris tricolor on Cacospongia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22013

Dear Philippe,
Thanks so much for sending this photo. It certainly more evidence linking this species to the sponge Cacospongia. I can't find any illustration of the egg ribbon of this species, so I can't confirm it belongs to this species, but it most likely to be so. One early message to the Forum from Roberto Moresco is particularly interesting because he mentions that this species has feeding veliger larvae [message #407] and that the food of the adult is Cacospongia. His photo of the animal [message #500] shows it is identical to your animal in colour, and if the larvae feed in the plankton, their eggs would be small as in your photo.

Hypselodoris orsinii is at present the only species of Hypselodoris reported to feed on Cacospongia, but as it is known to produce large direct developing eggs [Ortea et. al, 1996], H. orsinii and H. tricolor are clearly two distinct species. Unfortunately the differences between the various 'blue chromodorids' in the Mediterranean are still confusing, and it seems that at least some of the biological reports in the literature, on feeding and egg masses, include misidentifications which are now impossible to resolve. To help us clarify the situation, photos such as yours are very valuable. Any other photos showing species on their food or laying egg ribbons would be very welcome.

  • Ortea, J., Valdés, A. & and García-Gómez, J.C. (1996) Revisión de las especies atlánticas de la familia Chromodorididae (Mollusca: Nudibranchia) de grupo cromático azul. [Review of the Atlantic species of the family Chromodorididae (Mollusca: Nudibranchia) of the blue chromatic group.] Avicennia, 1996, Suppl. 1: 1-165.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Nov 4). Comment on Re: Hypselodoris tricolor on Cacospongia by Philippe Perrier. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22013

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