Re: Chromodoris geometrica and egg mass

November 22, 2001
From: Scott Johnson

Hi Bill,
Valda Fraser's Chromodoris geometrica egg mass is interesting. Here in the Marshalls, the egg ribbon of this species is always light orange or peach colored as in John Chuk's photo. The actual eggs are pure white, but the ribbon color comes from small bright orange extra-capsular yolk bodies, usually distributed as a cap adjacent to each ovum. These bodies are not unique to Chromodoris geometrica; many species of the genus Chromodoris whose eggs I have seen in the Marshalls and in Hawaii have these orange-capped eggs. Those Chromodoris species that do not possess extra-capsular yolk here all have egg masses deposited flat on the substrate like those of Chromodoris elisabethina, which are pictured on the Forum. I really thought I had a potentially significant taxonomic character here for a while, but the pattern breaks down over on the west coast of the Americas. Species of Chromodoris I found in the Sea of Cortez had upright egg coils (not the flat ones of C. elisabethina) that lacked any trace of orange extra-capsular yolk. Oh, well. Of course, the Chromodoris species I saw in the American continental areas were not the same ones as those I saw in the central and west-central Pacific. To have a single species such as C. geometrica show such different egg masses in cooler water at what is likely the edge of its range is interesting indeed. I'd be curious to see if other species whose egg masses typically possess extra-capsular yolk bodies show a similar pattern. Such species include C. tinctoria, C. decora, C. albopunctata, C. kuniei, C. rubrocornuta, and others.

Scott

johnson@kmr.ll.mit.edu

Johnson,, 2001 (Nov 22) Re: Chromodoris geometrica and egg mass. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5694

Thanks Scott,
I look forward to a flood of egg mass photos
Bill Rudman

Factsheet

Chromodoris geometrica

Related messages

  1. Chromodoris geometrica
    From: Koldo Urgoitia, November 17, 2009
  2. Chromodoris cf. geometrica from Reunion Island
    From: Philibert Bidgrain, June 9, 2009
  3. Chromodoris conchyliata in S.E. Qld
    From: David Mullins, November 3, 2008
  4. Chromodoris geometrica - copepod parasites
    From: Teresa Zuberbühler, June 11, 2008
  5. Re: Chromodoris geometrica waving anterior mantle
    From: Leanne & David Atkinson, February 5, 2008
  6. Chromodoris geometrica feeding
    From: Denis Riek, September 4, 2007
  7. Chromodoris geometrica and sponge
    From: Kenneth Yong, September 4, 2007
  8. Chromodoris geometrica laying eggs
    From: Kenneth Yong, September 3, 2007
  9. Chromodoris geometrica from Tofo, Mozambique
    From: Natasja Vandeperre, August 28, 2007
  10. Chromodoris geometrica laying eggs
    From: Kerem Turker, July 12, 2007
  11. Chromodoris geometrica from Cebu
    From: Dr. Christine Meier, April 3, 2007
  12. Re: Chromodoris geometrica and egg mass
    From: Asther Lau, November 30, 2006
  13. Chromodoris geometrica? from Fiji
    From: Patty Dilworth, August 22, 2006
  14. Chromodoris geometrica in Wakatobi, Indonesia
    From: Stephen Trainor, August 20, 2006
  15. Chromodoris geometrica from Terengganu, Malaysia
    From: Asther M. Lau, August 4, 2006
  16. Chromodoris geometrica - feeding
    From: Guido & Philippe Poppe, April 8, 2006
  17. Phyllidia mimic [2]
    From: Kerry Hulme, March 9, 2006
  18. Phyllidia mimic [1]
    From: Carl Scott, March 9, 2006
  19. Chromodoris geometrica with one rhinophore
    From: Asther Lau, December 2, 2005
  20. Re: Chr. geometrica & Chr. conchyliata from S. Africa
    From: W. van Zyl, November 12, 2005
  21. Chromodoris geometrica - Phyllidiid mimic
    From: Paul Osmond, October 7, 2005
  22. Chromodoris geometrica from Indonesia
    From: Bob Whorton, June 9, 2005
  23. Chromodoris geometrica from Western Australia
    From: Kristin, June 21, 2004
  24. Chromodoris geometrica laying eggs
    From: Asther M. Lau, September 2, 2003
  25. Chromodoris geometrica from Fiji
    From: Paul Sim, July 4, 2003
  26. Chromodoris geometrica from Malaysia
    From: Harro Quitzau, May 5, 2003
  27. Chromodoris geometrica feeding
    From: Mary Jane Adams, March 28, 2003
  28. Chromodoris geometrica from Bali
    From: Danny Van Belle, January 14, 2003
  29. Phyllidiella mimic from nothern NSW
    From: Allan Saben, November 23, 2002
  30. Chromodoris geometrica from Fly Point
    From: Akos Lumnitzer, October 18, 2002
  31. Chromodoris geometrica from nthn Sulawesi
    From: Helmut Schirmböck, July 4, 2002
  32. Chromodoris geometrica from Port Stephens
    From: David Harasti, March 30, 2002
  33. Chromodoris geometrica from Bali
    From: Stuart Hutchison, February 23, 2002
  34. Chromodoris geometrica and egg mass
    From: Valda Fraser, November 8, 2001
  35. Egg-laying Chromodoris geometrica from PNG
    From: John Chuk, October 31, 2001
  36. Chromodoris geometrica from Papua New Guinea
    From: Marli Wakeling, October 24, 2001
  37. Chromodoris geometrica from Indonesia
    From: Stuart Hutchison, June 12, 2001
  38. Chromodoris geometrica ? from the Maldives
    From: Jim Anderson, June 1, 2001
  39. Chromodoris geometrica from Thailand
    From: Erwin Koehler, January 29, 2001
  40. Chromodoris geometrica & C. conchyliata from S. Africa
    From: V.Fraser, June 26, 2000
  41. Chromodoris geometrica on sea cucumber
    From: Mary Jane Adams, June 20, 2000
  42. Some more Chromodoris geometrica
    From: Stuart Hutchison, January 29, 2000
  43. Chromodoris geometrica from Japan
    From: Yasuhiro Shirai, January 26, 2000
  44. Chromodoris geometrica from Marshall Ids
    From: Scott Johnson, August 21, 1999
  45. Chromodoris geometrica waving anterior mantle
    From: Erwin Koehler, January 15, 1999
  46. Chromodoris geometrica & C. conchyliata
    From: Bernard Picton, December 20, 1998
  47. Chromodoris geometrica feeding
    From: Akos Lumnitzer, December 4, 1998

Show factsheet and all related messages