Feeding habits of two species of Glossodoris

December 8, 2003
From: Sarah

Dr. Rudman-
I'm an undergrad at University of California [Berkeley], and I've spent the last 3 months (Sept - Nov, 2003) looking at preferential feeding in Glossodoris hikuerensis [upper photo] and Glossodoris cincta [lower photos] in Moorea, French Polynesia. Both species were shown to prefer a black sponge, but I'm having trouble identifying it. Any ideas on what it might be? The nudis I studied were located in shallow water (1-3 meters deep) on a Porites dominated fringing reef. Also, I've seen both species feeding on the algal turf that is prevalent in the area, but very little of the literature mentions omnivory in this genus. The pic of G. cincta I've included shows one feeding on this algal cover.
Sarah

nyoink77@yahoo.com

Sarah, 2003 (Dec 8) Feeding habits of two species of Glossodoris. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11631

Dear Sarah,
This sounds like an interesting project and I look forward to more information when you get time to write up your observations.

There are a couple of records on the Forum of G. cincta feeding on a black sponge [message 1, message 2]. If you have a photo of the sponge it might be possible to get it identified.

I find it difficult to accept the possibility of these animals being omnivorous, that is feeding on a algal turf as well as sponges - though of course if you have evidence of stomach contents, or even direct evidence that they everted their pharynx and ingested algae, I would have to agree. However animals that eat animal tissue, need a quite different physiology and gut anatomy to that of a herbivore. Omnivores are quite rare in nature. Some sponges form a thin layer over rocks, and the colonies are often covered with algal growths, so it is possible that these slugs look as though they are grazing the algal turf when in fact they are eating an underlying layer of sponge.

I look forward to more information on the this intersting observation
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Dec 8). Comment on Feeding habits of two species of Glossodoris by Sarah. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11631

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