The Hoover Nudi

[Beakerbob]

This came in as a hitchhiker and is yet unknown what type of nudibranch it is. For lack of a better name, I am calling this nudi "Hoover" until an expert is able to identify it.

It has a thin flat vertical body about 3" in length with "leafs" sticking out of its back and fluffy eyes that protrude on the end of eyestalks. Hoover can attach itself to objects using its bottom flat edge, but is very comfortable swimming. It has a huge round mouth filled with cilia around the inside lip. As it feeds, the mouth gets about as large as a 50 cent piece, the cilia extend outward like a broom, and it scrapes the surface drawing in food. As the mouth closes, the cilia retract back into the mouth capturing anything it caught.

Here are some pictures:

Whole monti nudi shot

Closeup of mouth and eye:

Here is a series of it feeding:
Rearing back and opening its mouth....you can see the retracted cilia:

Head starting its downward movement:

Still moving downward towards the surface:

Mouth now in contact with the surface:

Cilia now extended to vacuum the surface for food:

 

[Snowboarda42]

Awesome pictures!

 

[Maxx]

I'm going to move this Anthony's Forum in the hopes he'll be able to identify it. I agree though, great pics!

What camera and lense are you using?

Nick

 

[Beakerbob]

Thanks Nick! I just got an ID on it.....Melibe sp.
http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=meliviri

I am using a Nikon D300 with a Tamron 90mm macro lens. Just received the D300 to replace my D70 two weeks ago. What a fantastic camera...still learning about the functions that it has on it.

 

[Maxx]

Very interesting....

Gonna keep it or get rid of it? What are trying to feed it, (if at all?)

Yours appears to be darker colored on its wings, which would indicate the presence of Zooxanthellae.....

Nick

 

[Beakerbob]

Well, it got loose in my sump fuge! Apparently it eats small crustaceans, so there should be a lot of pods available to sustain it. I'll have to keep watch on it though. Maybe shoot more pics....it is really something to watch while it eats.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

I don't know much about this genus... but I do recall the Monterey Bay aquarium (er... if I recall correctly) was culturing a species of Melibe. The really fascinating thing is that their species exudes a chemical when harassed that smells (if taken out of water (like watermelon!

I have photos of the cultures... have to dig for them

 

[seabeaver]

stunning shots of a most interesting hitchiker

 

[edwing206]

OOOh, he's cool. Have you poked him yet? Does he smell like watermelon? :lol:

 

[Beakerbob]

It's funny that the smell is mentioned. He got into the return end of the sump and I had to scoop him up in my hand to place him back into the fuge section. I remember smelling something sweet (as opposed to the skimmer smell in the next section of the sump), but I could not identify it as watermelon.

 

[seabeaver]

watermelon smelling skimmate sounds like a BONUS!

 

[edwing206]

:lol: :lol:

 

[Anthony Calfo]

heehee... sweet smell or not, please make a habit of only picking up things (particularly chemically noxious, toothless, spineless things ) with GLOVED hands, my friend. I really dont want to read about your "nudibranch hospital trip" thread