Cross-species matings - Chelidonura
April 10, 2003
From: Richard Willan
Dear Bill,
Since opisthobranchs are inherently rare in time and space, it follows that, theoretically, there should be more cross-species matings when individuals encounter each other than in relatively commoner molluscs. I have not seen any instances of cross-species matings in opisthobranchs myself, but believe I have documented the result of one such mating, that is a naturally-occurring hybrid individual. In the paper I published with Riccardo Cattaneo-Vietti in 1995 (on page 13), I described and illustrated one specimen of Chelidonura from Palau that seemed to be a hybrid of C. amoena with C. electra because it possesed pigmentation and shape characteristic of both species. Could you widen this page to include possible hybrids between known opisthobranch species like this one as well as records of both cross-species matings?
• Willan, R.C. & R. Cattaneo-Vietti (1995) New data on Chelidonura amoena Bergh, 1905 (Opisthobranchia: Cephalaspidea: Aglajidae). The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, 12: 9-18.
Regards,
Richard
richard.willan@nt.gov.au
Thanks Richard,
I'm happy to add hybrids to the page, although it is one step removed from actually seeing interactions between two species. Unless we actually see the mating and isolate the resulting eggs, saying that a particular animal is the result of a cross-species mating is a pretty risky business. It also raises the question of species definition. If two 'species' are unable to distinguish between each other, is this a comment on our ability to determine what is a species?
In the particular case of these two 'species' of Chelidonura, C. electra was named by me so I might be thought to have an interest in its future - Who would want such a spectacular animal to be lumped with dull, and much older C. amoena? Despite that, if I consistently found animals which were intermediate in colour I would be inclined to consider them to be colour variants of one species rather than hybrids of two. It is certainly something worth looking into. If anyone has further photos of these two species to add to the ones we already have, they would be very welcome.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Related messages
-
Color variation in Chelidonura amoena from Lembeh
From: Mike Krampf, July 27, 2007 -
Re: Chelidonura amoena piggyback
From: Kristin Anderson, July 17, 2007 -
Chelidonura amoena piggyback
From: Kristin Anderson, July 12, 2007 -
Re: Chelidonura amoena from the Philippines
From: Jose Victor Santos, May 15, 2007 -
Re: Are Chelidonura electra and C. amoena the same?
From: Roberto Sozzani, November 24, 2006 -
Are Chelidonura electra and Chelidonura amoena one species?
From: Linda Ianniello, November 22, 2006 -
Chelidonura amoena from Malaysia
From: Asther M. Lau, August 12, 2006 -
Chelidonura amoena from Komodo, Indonesia?
From: Robert Whitton, July 26, 2006 -
Chelidonura amoena in Taiwan
From: Alex Tattersall, July 25, 2006 -
Pre-mating Ritual - Chelidonura amoena
From: Mike Krampf, June 7, 2006 -
Chelidonura amoena from Derawan, Indonesia
From: Gennaro Ciavarella, December 13, 2005 -
Chelidonura amoena in Malaysia
From: Asther M. Lau, September 11, 2003 -
Chelidonura amoena at Pulau Redang
From: Kheong Sann Chan, September 11, 2003 -
Chelidonura amoena - shape and colour variation
From: Atsushi Ono, July 2, 2003 -
Chelidonura amoena mating
From: Paul Whitehead, June 21, 2003 -
Chelidonura amoena population explosion
From: Todd Garthwaite, May 24, 2003 -
Re: Chelidonura amoena spawning
From: Nishina Masayoshi, May 12, 2003 -
Chelidonura amoena spawning.
From: Johny Leffelaer, May 9, 2003 -
Chelidonura amoena from Malaysia
From: Kelvin Tan, April 24, 2003 -
Twin Tail Nudibranch from Malaysia
From: Spencer Huang, October 10, 2002 -
Chelidonura amoena from Malaysia
From: Richard Houghton, July 19, 2002 -
Chelidonura amoena from Malaysia
From: Maliza Anuar, July 19, 2002 -
Chelidonura flavolobata? from SE Sulawesi
From: Lindsay Warren, June 16, 2002 -
Re: Chelidonura amoena population explosion
From: Todd Garthwaite , June 10, 2002 -
Chelidonura amoena from Christmas Island
From: W.B. Rudman, April 30, 2002 -
Chelidonura amoena population explosion in Taipei
From: Todd Garthwaite, April 27, 2002 -
Chelidonura amoena from Taiwan
From: Todd Garthwaite, April 1, 2002 -
Chelidonura amoena - colour variation
From: Nishina Masayoshi, February 21, 2002 -
Chelidonura amoena from the Philippines
From: Mary Jane Adams , June 16, 2001 -
Chelidonura cf. amoena from SE Sulawesi
From: Lindsay Warren, March 1, 2000 -
Chelidonura amoena from the Philippines
From: Erwin Koehler, May 1, 1999