Cuthona gymnota from Maine, USA
September 2, 2003
From: Alan Shepard
Bill -
Here is another nudibranch from Eastport, Maine. This is Cuthona gymnota, confirmed by Dr. Larry Harris of the University of New Hampshire.
I found it in approximately 10m of water. It was approximately 15mm long. C. gymnota feeds upon tubularian hydroids and in particular the stolons of the hydroids. Bleakney makes interesting commentary concerning concerning the cnidosacs and the fact that C. gymnota feeds on the stolons which lack mature mature nematocysts.
Best wishes,
Alan Shepard
Tolland, CT, USA
alan.chepard@snet.net
Shepard, A., 2003 (Sep 2) Cuthona gymnota from Maine, USA. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10863Dear Alan,
In an earlier message I discuss how the distinctive radula of this species, and a few others, seems to be correlated with the habit of eating through the wall of the hydroid's stolon rather than biting off the polyp. Bernard Picton mentions that species of Doto eat in a similar fashion. Interestingly their central radular teeth, are of similar shape
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
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