Ercolania kencolesi
Grzymbowski, Stemmer & Wagele, 2007
Order: SACOGLOSSA
Superfamily: LIMAPONTIOIDEA
Family: Limapontiidae
DISTRIBUTION
Known from Great Barrier Reef, Nth Queensland and Guam.
PHOTO
Living animals from Lizard Island, Nth Queensland, Australia. Upper: Animal after 2 hours in giant cell of Boergesenia. Lower left: Animal after 4 days starvation, length approx 3 mm. Lower right: Animal just removed from algal cell, length approx 5 mm. Photos with permission from Grzymbowski, Y., Stemmer, K. & Wagele, H, (2007).
Small elongate animals with a pair of relatively large solid rhinophores. The cerata are arranged irregularly down each side of the body, the dorsal space being clear of cerata. The body is translucent clear with a greenish tinge in well fed animals, which changes to a yellowish brown when animals are starved. Microscopic green specks, which are the endings of fine branches of the digestive glands can be seen all over the skin. There is also regular pattern of white markings on the rhinophores and cerata, which appear to be from internal aggregations of glands or granules. The rhinophores have a white tip and a white band about midway along their length. There is also a subapical white band on each ceras.
This species lives in association with the algae Boergesenia forbesii (Siphonocladales), and alga which consists of giant bubble-shaped cells. Ercolania kencolesi lives both in and out of the algal cells, but to feed it pierces a hole in the giant cell, crawls inside and ingest the cell contents, including the chloroplasts along the inside cell wall. Egg masses are also laid inside the algal cell.
This species is very similar in habit to Ercolania endophytophaga which lives and feeds in the giant cells of Struvea plumosa and Valonia, two other members of the Siphonocladales
Note: This species was previously known on the Forum as Ercolania sp. 1
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Grzymbowski, Y., Stemmer, K. & Wagele, H. 2007 On a new Ercolania Trinchese, 1872 (Opisthobranchia, Sacoglossa, Limapontiidae) living within Boergesenia Feldmann, 1950 (Cladophorales), with notes on anatomy, histology and biology. Zootaxa, 1577: 3-16
Rudman, W.B., 2007 (September 13) Ercolania kencolesi Grzymbowski, Stemmer & Wagele, 2007. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/ercokenc
Related messages
Ercolania kencolesi from Great Barrier Reef
September 5, 2008
From: Bill Rudman
I came across these photos, taken by of Ian Loch, of the fascinating sacoglossan Ercolania kencolesi which lives in the 'bubbles' of the alga Boergesenia forbesii, and couldn't resist adding to them to the Forum. In one photo we can also see its spiral egg ribbons. As Ian records in his collection notes, 'bubbles' in which Ercolania are found are colourless, or have only a few patches of green plant material left.
Locality: Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, East (Little) Hope Is, South of Cooktown , (15° 44' S , 145° 28' E), 7 Aug 1987, AM C.153783 [Cited in Grzymbowski, Stemmer & Wagele, 2007]. Inside Boergesenia forbesii on reef flat, Collector & Photographer: I. Loch
Best wishes
Bill Rudman
Ercolania kencolesi egg-laying
September 13, 2007
From: Bill Rudman
In my earlier message [#20708] I mentioned the close association that the newly-named Ercolania kencolesi has with the algae Boergesenia forbesii, which it crawls inside to eat. Here are a couple of photos the authors have given me permission to post on the Forum which show that the slug also lays their egg ribbons inside the algae.
PHOTOS:Living animals from Lizard Island, Nth Queensland, Australia. Upper: Egg masses laid 3 days after animal entered algal cell. Lower: Animal and egg mass laid 2 days after animal entered algal cell . Photos with permission from Grzymbowski, Y., Stemmer, K. & Wagele, H, (2007).
Bill Rudman
Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Sep 13) Ercolania kencolesi egg-laying. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20709Re: Another internal cell feeding Ercolania
September 13, 2007
From: Bill Rudman
Concerning message #2057:
The fascinating sacoglossan Clay Carlson & Patty-Jo Hoff sent us from Guam some years ago now has a name - Ercolania kencolesi. It was refound by Yvonne Grzymbowski, Kristina Stemmer and Heike Wagele on a research trip to the Australian Museum's Lizard Island research station on the Great Barrier Reef.
Like the earlier finds, it was also associated with the algae Boergesenia forbesii (Siphonocladales), which consists of giant bubble-shaped cells. Ercolania kencolesi lives both in and out of the algal cells, but to feed it pierces a hole in the giant cell, crawls inside and ingest the cell contents, including the chloroplasts along the inside cell wall. Egg masses are also laid inside the algal cell. This species is very similar in habit to Ercolania endophytophaga which lives and feeds in the giant cells of Struvea plumosa and Valonia sp., two other members of the Siphonocladales.
PHOTOS: Living animals from Lizard Island, Nth Queensland, Australia. Upper: Animal after 2 hours in giant cell of Boergesenia. Lower left: Animal after 4 days starvation, length approx 3 mm. Lower right: Animal just removed from algal cell, length approx 5 mm. Photos with permission from Grzymbowski, Y., Stemmer, K. & Wagele, H, (2007).
Note: This species was previously known on the Forum as Ercolania sp. 1
- Grzymbowski, Y., Stemmer, K. & Wagele, H. 2007 On a new Ercolania Trinchese, 1872 (Opisthobranchia, Sacoglossa, Limapontiidae) living within Boergesenia Feldmann, 1950 (Cladophorales), with notes on anatomy, histology and biology. Zootaxa, 1577: 3-16
Another internal cell feeding Ercolania
March 9, 2000
From: C. Carlson & P.J. Hoff
Note added 13 September 2007: This has been named Ercolania kencolesi. See message #20708.
Bill,
Following your message about Ercolania endophytophaga here is an example (unidentified as far as we know) of another Ercolania that is found in the cells of a Valonia-like algae.
El05 6.5mm; Guam, Bile Bay, small boat channel; 18 May 1970. [in situ]
What is remarkable is that the animal can move in and out of the cells without deflating them. Host is Boergesenia forbesii.
Clay & Patty Jo
Merizo, Guam
clay.carlson@kuentos.guam.net
Carlson, C. & Hoff, P.J. , 2000 (Mar 9) Another internal cell feeding Ercolania. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2057Dear Clay & Patty Jo,
Some of these animals are quite amazing. But I must say they are difficult to find. After Ian Loch found specimens of Ercolania endophytophaga in Valonia some years ago, we regularly demolished every plant we saw for years afterwards, trying to find some more, without success.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.
