Dendronotus iris eggs?

July 7, 2007
From: Jackie Hildering & Glen Miller

I am fairly certain that these are the egg masses of Dendronotus iris since this animal being prolific at this site and that one would expect them to spawn at base of their favourite snack, the tube dwelling anemone (Pachycerianthus fimbriatus).

Locality: Bear Cove - Port Hardy, 40', British Columbia, Canada, Pacific Ocean, 9 April 2007, Silt bottom. Length: 30 cm. Photographer: Jackie Hildering .

Jackie Hildering and Glen Miller

earthlingenterprises@telus.net

Hildering, J. & Miller, G., 2007 (Jul 7) Dendronotus iris eggs?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20110

Dear Jackie and Glen,

You are absolutely correct. I have also thought it most interesting that the nudibranch often lays it eggs here. Of course many species lay their eggs on the food. Probably because they spend so much time there. In this case we are talking about a fast moving predator that forages widely over the sand bottom in search of anemones with tentacles extended. They then attack violently.

My question would be - did the slug lay them while waiting for the anemone to come out so it could pounce on it, or did the slug lay the eggs after an unsuccessful attack? We may never know.

Thanks for sharing,
Dave Behrens

Behrens, D.W., 2007 (Jul 7). Comment on Dendronotus iris eggs? by Jackie Hildering & Glen Miller. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20110

Factsheet

Dendronotus iris

Related messages

  1. Dirona albolineata eggs?
    From: Jackie Hildering, August 6, 2007
  2. Dendronotus iris from La Jolla, California
    From: Regina McLendon, June 10, 2006
  3. Dendronotus iris feeding behaviour
    From: Dave Behrens, May 19, 2006
  4. Dendronotus iris feeding behaviour
    From: Phil Garner, May 19, 2006
  5. Colour forms of Dendronotus iris
    From: Stephanie Truhlar, May 18, 2006
  6. Re: Dendronotus nanus rediscovered in California
    From: Phil Garner, May 18, 2006
  7. Nudibranch? from southern California
    From: Lauri Hamilton, April 27, 2006
  8. Dendronotus nanus rediscovered in California
    From: Mark Chapman, August 11, 2005
  9. Dendronotus nanus is variant of D. iris [1]
    From: Ron Velarde, August 11, 2005
  10. Dendronotus nanus is variant of D. iris [2]
    From: Dave Behrens, August 11, 2005
  11. Giant nudibranch attack from British Columbia
    From: Marli Wakeling, June 29, 2005
  12. Dendronotus iris in Monterey, CA
    From: Sami Laine, February 9, 2003
  13. Re: Swimming Nudibranchs
    From: Marli Wakeling, November 4, 2002
  14. Swimming nudibranchs
    From: Peter & Kristen , November 2, 2002
  15. Dendronotus iris - feeding movies
    From: Clinton Bauder, September 6, 2001
  16. Dendronotus iris from Monterey, California
    From: Clinton Bauder , June 6, 2001
  17. Dendronotus iris question
    From: Ray Izumi, December 19, 2000

Show factsheet and all related messages