Chelidonura feeding observations

December 22, 2000
From: Julian Sprung

Dear Bill,

I was the aquarist/author to point out that Chelidonura varians eats the red acoel flatworms in aquariums. You can see my photos of this in the book The Reef Aquarium, Vol. 2.

They don't actually open and eat the contents of the worms as was mentioned by some observers. They literally suck them up like a vacuum. The stick out a proboscis that rapidly sucks them in. It is amazing to watch them "track" the worms and also it is remarkable that their shape essentially mimics the outline of the flatworms that they eat!
Best Regards,
Julian Sprung

julian@twolittlefishies.com

Sprung, J., 2000 (Dec 22) Chelidonura feeding observations. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3354

Dear Julian,
Your observations fit with their anatomy. Species of the genus Chelidonura have a small muscular buccal bulb, similar in structure if not in relative size, to the buccal bulb of Melanochlamys which feed on polychaete worms by rapidly sucking them in like a piece of spaghetti.

Julian's book that features a page showing Chelidonura varians eating flatworms
is:
Sprung, J. and Delbeek, J.C. (1996) The Reef Aquarium Volume Two: A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebrates. Ricordea Publishing, Inc. Coconut Grove, Florida. USA
ISBN # 1-883693-13-6
French (ISBN 1-883693-20-9)
German (ISBN 3-921684-45-5)

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Factsheet

Chelidonura varians

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