Mating Elysia ornata from nthn Mariana Islands

February 15, 2008
From: Yuji Fujie


Dear Dr.Bill,
Here are three pictures which we think are ofElysia ornata  mating.
They inserted their male reproductive organs into each other for five minutes or more.

Locality: LauLau Beach, 6 m, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, Pacific Ocean, 25 October 2007, under the dead coral. Length: 20 mm. Photographer: Yuji Fujie.

Best regards,
Yuji

ds-with@isletwind.com

Yuji Fujie, 2008 (Feb 15) Mating Elysia ornata from nthn Mariana Islands. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21261

Dear Yuji,
Thanks for these interesting photos. Sacoglossans have some interesting mating behaviours and some have unusual reproductive anatomy, some even lack a vaginal opening for their partner's penis so that sperm can only be exchanged by the parner stabbing a hole through the skin of their partner. I am not sure what happens in Elysia ornata, but from your photos the penis in both animals seems to be inserted on the right side of its partner just near the opening of the right parapodia, which is where the vagina opens, when it is present [see rings]. So it looks like E. ornata has a 'normal' reproductive system with reciprocal mating, both partners acting as male and female simultaneously.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Feb 15). Comment on Mating Elysia ornata from nthn Mariana Islands by Yuji Fujie. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21261

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Elysia ornata

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