28 August 2008

Pulau Semakau 17 Aug 08 (Part 4-Flatworms and Nudibranchs)

We also saw many invertebrates along the shoreline! Examples include this Acanthozoon flatworm:

These flatworms are very fragile and tear easily, so handling them is a delicate task. The good news is, they can regenerate their lost body parts.

We also saw this funeral nudibranch (Jorunna funebris). "Nudibranch" means "naked gills" as their gills (the flowery structures on their backs) are exposed, not in their body like most other marine animals.

Just like snails, Nudibranchs are hermaphrodites. This means that they have both male and female reproductive systems. The above Glossodoris nudibranchs (Glossodoris atromarginata) are actually mating!

We were lucky enough to spot a swallowtail headshield slug (Chelidonura pallida). The swallowtail headshield slug has a well-developed "headshield", which is used to plow beneath the sand surface and helps prevent the sand entering the mantle cavity. These slugs feed on tiny flatworms living on coral reef substrate.

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