Melibe engeli and its oral hood

October 27, 2008
From: Charles Raabe


Just wanted to share this Melibe feeding sequence.

Locality: Mactan Island, 4 feet, Philippines, Camotes Sea, 03 August 2006, Reef flat. Length: One Inch . Photographer: Charles Raabe.

Charles Raabe

charlesr1958@pacific.net.ph

Raabe, C., 2008 (Oct 27) Melibe engeli and its oral hood. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17394

Dear Charles,

Thanks for the photos. I suspect your animal is Melibe engeli. Is this animal in an aquarium? I am trying to work out why it is opening and closing its oral hood like this, as though its catching things in the water. Although Melibe leonina from the west coast of Nth America does that [see message #15431], the other species all seem to 'feel' for bottom dwelling animals as they crawl along. Perhaps yours is crawling upside down on the water surface feeling for debris floating there?

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Oct 27). Comment on Melibe engeli and its oral hood by Charles Raabe. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17394

Factsheet

Melibe engeli

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