Hermissenda crassicornis eating Flabellina trilineata

August 15, 2007
From: John Albers-Mead


 

Hi Bill-

In early July I found a deep tide pool at Bean Hollow State Park in Northern California that contained 2 large Hermissenda crassicornis and about 2 dozen Flabellina trilineata. I was interested in getting images of some of them and collected one of the Hermissenda and a Flabellina in a cup. A few minutes later when I looked in the cup, I noticed that the Flabellina seemed different from when I had put it in and it wasn't moving very much. I placed both nudibranchs on an algae leaf and recorded the accompanying images of the Hermissenda proceeding to chew up the remains of the Flabellina.

Locality: Bean Hollow State Park, intertidal, Northern California, Eastern Pacific, July 2, 2007, rocky pool. Length: Hermissenda 1.75 inches, Flabellina 0.5 inches. Photographer: John Albers-Mead.

I also got some video of the event here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tuecg6WeOE4
and posted larger images here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jalbersmead/784174960/

John Albers-Mead

jalbersmead@gmail.com

Albers-Mead, J., 2007 (Aug 15) Hermissenda crassicornis eating Flabellina trilineata. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20455

Dear John,
Thanks for this observation. Hermissenda has a reputation for not being that friendly to other nudibranchs. Looking at the 'left-overs', I see the Hermissenda has rejected the muscular buccal bulb [see inset in lower photo]. I can recognise it from the two jaw plates [j] still in position.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Aug 15). Comment on Hermissenda crassicornis eating Flabellina trilineata by John Albers-Mead. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20455

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Hermissenda crassicornis

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