Bosellia mimetica Trinchese, 1891 is a sacoglossan which lives in close relationship with the green alga Halimeda tuna that represents its source of food and substrate. The name B. mimetica comes from the ability of this sea slug to perfectly mimic H. tuna. The aim of the present research was to achieve new knowledge on this species and its seasonality along the central-eastern coast of Sicily (Italy). Data on the seasonality of B. mimetica have been collected from 2018 to 2020 through underwater visual census with scuba dive. Through data collection, it has been observed that B. mimetica is mostly present in spring and summer and it declines from the end of summer to autumn. Occasionally, a few rare specimens have also been found during winter months. The factors which mostly seem to control B. mimetica’s seasonality could be the daylength and the temperature. Although this species shows antipredatory cryptic and chemical defences, through data collection it has been observed that several B. mimetica specimens presented evident crescent-shape injuries resembling the bites on H. tuna. We believe that the most probable candidate as possible grazer of this seaweed is the parrotfish Sparisoma cretense. Consequently, S. cretense could involuntarily prey on B. mimetica when it rests on H. tuna

Contribution to the knowledge of Bosellia mimetica Trinchese, 1891 (Gastropoda Sacoglossa) and its seasonality along the central-eastern coast of Sicily (Ionian Sea)

Andrea Lombardo;Giuliana Marletta
2021-01-01

Abstract

Bosellia mimetica Trinchese, 1891 is a sacoglossan which lives in close relationship with the green alga Halimeda tuna that represents its source of food and substrate. The name B. mimetica comes from the ability of this sea slug to perfectly mimic H. tuna. The aim of the present research was to achieve new knowledge on this species and its seasonality along the central-eastern coast of Sicily (Italy). Data on the seasonality of B. mimetica have been collected from 2018 to 2020 through underwater visual census with scuba dive. Through data collection, it has been observed that B. mimetica is mostly present in spring and summer and it declines from the end of summer to autumn. Occasionally, a few rare specimens have also been found during winter months. The factors which mostly seem to control B. mimetica’s seasonality could be the daylength and the temperature. Although this species shows antipredatory cryptic and chemical defences, through data collection it has been observed that several B. mimetica specimens presented evident crescent-shape injuries resembling the bites on H. tuna. We believe that the most probable candidate as possible grazer of this seaweed is the parrotfish Sparisoma cretense. Consequently, S. cretense could involuntarily prey on B. mimetica when it rests on H. tuna
2021
Bosellia mimetica; Halimeda tuna; Sacoglossa; Seasonality; Sicily.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/591456
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