Flabellina iodinea mating
March 22, 2003
From: Gaby Chavez
I am doing a project that is due Friday and I have all the information I need so far but im having a little trouble finding facts about Flabellina iodinea. I already have things about the ceras being blood tubes and holders of digestive glands. Also, I got info on how it lays eggs ... but what i was more interested in finding, if possible, was how they mated. If you could help, this would be greatly appreciated. Sorry about the late notice.
Thank you,
Gaby
froggc@comcast.net
Dear Gaby,
I don't usually have the time, or the inclination, to do rush jobs for class projects, but since it isn't a 'tell me everything about Flabellina iodinea - and I want it immediately' request, here goes:
I guess you have had a look at the Flabellina iodinea Fact Sheet and the messages attached to it. As you will see there, all nudibranchs are hermaphrodite and so have fully functional male and female reproductive systems. When mating, they act as both male and females simultaneously. If you look carefully at the upper photo in Jeff Goddard's message you will see a darker swelling on the right side of the body near the head. This is the genital pore or reproductive opening. During mating, both the penis and the vagina are pushed out of this opening so they can make contact with the mating apparatus of their partner. I have haven't a photo of Flabellina mating but there is a good photo of another aeolid, Sakuraeolis enosimensis, mating which is very similar.
Good luck with your assignment
Bill Rudman
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