Re: Doto from New Zealand [2]

November 24, 2008
From: Nick Missenden

Concerning message #22055:

As a follow up to my previous message I have now found colonies on my last four dives at Bare Island in four separate sites. This was on the east side of the island in three separate locations and also on the west reef of Bare Island. I have also added a couple more pictures including a close up of the lobed cerata. I had originally taken some of them mating but they didn't come out so working on taking more to get some decent pictures. Also I'll include the egg ribbon in the next set of pictures.

Locality: Bare Island, 11 m, NSW, Australia, Botany Bay, 21 November 2008, Broken reef, sandy bottom. Length: 15 mm. Photographer: Nicholas Missenden.

Kindest Regards
Nick

njmpm@iinet.net.au

Missenden, N, 2008 (Nov 24) Re: Doto from New Zealand [2]. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22073

Dear Nick,
It's good to get some more photos of this species 'doing things'. These photos show quite a variation in the size and development of the cerata on the back. Species of Doto can cast off their cerata at the slightest provocation [see autotomy], as a defensice strategy much in the same way some lizards drop their tails. They begin to grow back almost immediately, but as they are regrowing the animal has an assortment of different sized cerata.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Nov 24). Comment on Re: Doto from New Zealand [2] by Nick Missenden. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22073

Factsheet

Doto ostentus

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  1. Re: Doto from New Zealand
    From: Nicholas Missenden, November 24, 2008

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