LOVE - Sea Slug Style
Nudibranchs mating - Time series
- Thread starter calypsonick
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Fabulous!
Right place, right time!
Right place, right time!
adshepard
Contributor
Being a bit of a nudibranch freak to say the least I've watched and photographed quite a number of nudibranch species mating. You've got quite a good sequence of photos there.
DSDO
Alan
DSDO
Alan
I think that's the strangest thing I've ever seen.
diver_paula
Contributor
oooh... very interesting. Thank you for sharing!
DennisW
Contributor
Very, very nice. And lucky, too.
Strange? You ain't heard nothing yet. Some of you may know that nudibranchs are hermaphrodites and contain both male and female sex organs. When copulating it is not uncommon for one "male" to inseminate the "female" of the other individual and vice-versa. Here on Catalina Island, where Wrigley's chewing gum used to be king, we refer to it as "double your pleasure, double your fun."
One day I ran into several thousand lion nudibranchs (Melibe leonina) and all of them seemed to be mating at the same time. Best orgy I'd seen since Cambridge, MA in the 1960's.
Dr. Bill
One day I ran into several thousand lion nudibranchs (Melibe leonina) and all of them seemed to be mating at the same time. Best orgy I'd seen since Cambridge, MA in the 1960's.
Dr. Bill
the_cat_keeper
Contributor
Dr. Bill,
Is it common for a large number of nudibranches to be mating simultaneously? Where did that happen?
thanks,
Is it common for a large number of nudibranches to be mating simultaneously? Where did that happen?
thanks,
That was the only incident of mass mating I've observed in nudibranchs. It happened in a mass of drifting kelp just off the east end of Catalina Island back in the mid 70's.
However, I have noted that egg masses from certain nudibranchs often appear simultaneously in various locations on our coast. It is quite possible that the mating and egg laying are somehow synchronized. This usually happens in broadcast spawners to ensure free sperm and egg are released at the same time. Synchronization between nudibranchs which fertilize one another wouldn't seem to have much benefit since you have to ensure the animals are close together at the specific time.
Dr. Bill
However, I have noted that egg masses from certain nudibranchs often appear simultaneously in various locations on our coast. It is quite possible that the mating and egg laying are somehow synchronized. This usually happens in broadcast spawners to ensure free sperm and egg are released at the same time. Synchronization between nudibranchs which fertilize one another wouldn't seem to have much benefit since you have to ensure the animals are close together at the specific time.
Dr. Bill
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