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

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Mar 22). Comment on Flabellina iodinea mating by Gaby Chavez. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9461

Factsheet

Flabellina iodinea

Related messages

  1. Re: Flabellina iodinea mating
    From: Jonathan S. Klenk, August 19, 2009
  2. Re: Flabellina iodinea feeding
    From: Roger Carlson, May 16, 2007
  3. Flabellina iodinea from Bahia California
    From: Natasja Vandeperre, May 16, 2007
  4. Flabellina iodinea feeding
    From: James Lyle, February 2, 2007
  5. Re: Flabellina iodinea mating
    From: James Lyle, September 17, 2005
  6. Re: Flabellina iodinea mating
    From: James Lyle, September 15, 2005
  7. Flabellina iodinea laying eggs
    From: Chris Menjou, September 23, 2003
  8. Flabellina iodinea feeding on hydroids
    From: Bruce Wight , August 5, 2003
  9. Flabellina iodinea from California
    From: Chris Grossman, July 31, 2003
  10. Spanish Shawl Nudibranch
    From: Chase Walden, February 6, 2003
  11. Spanish Shawl Dancer
    From: Anna, November 20, 2001
  12. Reproduction in Flabellina iodinea
    From: Jennifer , October 31, 2001
  13. Flabellina iodinea laying eggs
    From: Michael D. Miller, August 6, 2001
  14. Flabellina iodinea from California
    From: Daniel Geiger, August 3, 2001
  15. Flabellina iodinea
    From: Brett Maton, April 20, 2001
  16. Flabellina iodinea and mimic
    From: Jeff Goddard, July 2, 2000

Show factsheet and all related messages