Tochuina tetraquetra feeding on gorgonian
February 5, 2003
From: Clinton Bauder
Hi Bill,
I did a deep dive with some friends on Sunday [2 February 2002] just north of the Mile Buoy in Monterey Bay, California. The depth there is about 38-48m. At a depth of about 44m we found a Tochuina tetraquetra apparently eating a Red Gorgonian (Lophogorgia chilensis). To my (limited) knowledge this hasn't been documented before though this animal is known to eat other octocorals. The animal was between 180 and 200mm long.
Clinton
gecko1@apple.com
Thanks Clinton,
An interesting observation. It seems to be stripping the colony bare. I guess the water gives it sufficient bouyancy to crawl over the gorgonian without breaking or even bending its slender branches.
I checked in McDonald & Nybakken's List of the Worldwide Food Habits of Nudibranchs, and they list records of Tochuina feeding on a range of octocorals including the gorgonian Euplexaura marki, the nephtheid soft-coral Gersemia rubiformis, and Sea Pen Ptilosarcus gurneyi, which suggests a much broader diet than some other tritoniids. All these octocorals have very nasty chemical compounds in their bodies. With such a diet I don't know how Kuril Islanders can eat Tochuina raw or cooked. Perhaps its like a hot chili eating contest!
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
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