Bornella stellifer from SE Sulawesi

February 19, 2000
From: Lindsay Warren

Dear Bill
I thought you might be interested to hear about all the Bornella stellifer found on Pulau Hoga last year [Tukang Besi, SE Sulawesi, Indonesia - Operation Wallacea].
They were initially found by Nikki Rowlands when she was inspecting the overhanging rocks exposed during a daytime low tide. They were located in small holes in the vertical rocks about 20-40 cm below the maximum high tide mark. We thought they might be committing suicide as they were exposed to air. However this did not seem to bother them as they became perfectly active once in water again even though they had been out of the water for several hours. There is obviously enough moisture in the holes to keep them from drying out before the tide rises again. On this occasion Nikki found two. However, almost two weeks later we went on the hunt again finding 12 and a week later found a further 14.

We never saw any on the reef while diving, only in these holes. Is this quite common behaviour for Bornella stellifer?

All the best
Lindsay Warren

100014.2112@compuserve.com

Warren, L., 2000 (Feb 19) Bornella stellifer from SE Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1918

Dear Lindsay,
What an interesting observation. I have never seen them in such places though I have looked for the limpet-like Smaragdinella [Fam: Phanerophthalmidae] up there.

I have however, often found Bornella on rather bare, exposed rocky substrates, in shallow pools or under rock slabs which were out of water at low tide. Usually there were colonies of short turfing hydroids around on which I presume the Bornella were feeding. From your description I suspect the little holes your Bornella were in were in a rock face with a very uneven pitted surface. There are quite tough hydroid species, or growth forms, with only one or two polyps per stalk, which grow on pitted shaded surfaces like you describe. Perhaps it was these hydroids that attracted the Bornella to the region. Whether ther are hydroids there would be another thing worth checking out on your next visit.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Feb 19). Comment on Bornella stellifer from SE Sulawesi by Lindsay Warren. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1918

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