Polycera atra - feeding juveniles

August 3, 2007
From: Bruce Wight


Hi Doc,
The reef and kelp at San Miguel Island were covered with juvenile Polycera atra, See attached for some images. Are they feeding on the kelp or the Bryozoans?

Locality: San Miguel Island, 10-60 feet, California, USA, Pacific, 15 July 2007, On kelp and reef structure. Length: 1/4-3/8 inch. Photographer: Bruce Wight.

Bruce Wight

bruce.c.wight@boeing.com

Wight, B.C., 2007 (Aug 3) Polycera atra - feeding juveniles. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20316

Hi Bruce,

Seems like California is having a real population explosion of this species. All the photos sent to me lately are the light color variation of this species. I am thinking this is because the slugs are feeding on the bryozoan, Membranopora membranacea, seen on the kelp fronds in your photos. When this species feeds on the arborescent bryzoan, Bugula, they have much wider black stripes.

Thanks for sharing,
Dave Behrens

Behrens, D.W., 2007 (Aug 3). Comment on Polycera atra - feeding juveniles by Bruce Wight. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20316

Factsheet

Polycera atra

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