Feeding in Hopkinsia plana

August 3, 1998
From: Bill Rudman

In Andy Cohen's message on Okenia zoobotryon he mentions Hopkinsia plana living on the encrusting bryozoan Conopeum. I don't think Hopkinsia plana is quite so food specific as some species. Here are two photos of it on different species of bryozoan in New South Wales.

UPPER PHOTO: Woolgoolga, northern NSW, Australia, November 1982, on Membranipora, an encrusting bryozoan often found on laminarian algae.

LOWER PHOTO: Drummoyne,Sydney Harbour, under intertidal rocks, NSW, May 1984, on unidentified bryozoan.

PHOTOS: Bill Rudman.

If my suggestion that Quoy & Gaimard's record of this species as Doris eolida is correct, then this species can drift in the open ocean on floating laminarian algae... Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 1998 (Aug 3). Comment on Feeding in Hopkinsia plana by Bill Rudman. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/185

Factsheet

Okenia plana

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