Re: Black seaslugs in reef tank

January 11, 2003
From: Brett T Lynch

Dear Dr. Rudman,
Thanks for your reply!!
While atinic lights are on, and just after the white lights turn off the Scutus's all find a high point on a rock or even the glass. One consistent thing I notice when they spawn is their bodies are 120 degrees, or should I say diagonal, with their heads up. They shoot a white transparent milk that appears to have very little white beads. The fact that they are diagonal when they release seems to propel the 'milk' farther away from themselves. The really amazing thing is like graduation caps they all release there eggs|sperm in one big burst. Also some of the slugs release a thick pure white "half and half" type release unlike the other which release what I described. So in other words one seems like the eggs and the other the sperm? Also I think you are right as well about them eating a Pocillopora I had, they where just after the algae deep in the fingers, Thanks for your Knowledge and time Dr Rudman,
Brett T. Lynch.

Lmeinken@juno

Thanks Brett,
Your observations about synchronous spawning are very interesting. In nature, we normally assume that synchronous spawning, is cued by some environmental factor such as the phases of the moon, salinity changes, length of light-dark cycles etc. It is interesting to know that in Scutus spawning can be synchronised by some factor unaffected by the artificial environment.
Cheers,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Jan 11). Comment on Re: Black seaslugs in reef tank by Brett T Lynch. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8885

Factsheet

Elephant Slug, Shield Slug, Ducksbill Limpet (Scutus sp.)

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