Nature is pretty crazy
So I have been reading a ton about Kingman Reef and sea slugs, and I thought I would do some nature fanart (if you can call it that)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Orthogastropoda
Superorder: Heterobranchia
Order: Opisthobranchia
Suborder: Nudibranchia
Current nomenclature: Siphovenator Queequeg
A new species of nudibranch was discovered during a recent biological assessment of Kingman Reef.
This new species of nudibranch exhibits two previously unseen behaviors: harem grouping, and active hunting of prey. It has currently been named rather coltishly after the famed harpooner in Melville's Moby Dick.
Currently only a handful of Siphovenator Queequeg have ever been seen, with the specimens seen only being seen in three distinct groups numbering between 3-5 individuals. Individual nudibranch range in size from 1 cm to 2 cm in length for "attendants" and up to 3 cm for the alpha individuals of the groups.
Due to the extraordinary bias of Kingman Reef towards a predator-heavy environment active prey such as damsels (or the anthias in the illustration) are few and far betwen and are almost exclusively hidden during active periods during the day. S. Queequeg also appears to hide, but does so exclusively within the branches or plates of corals belonging to the genus Acropora. The nudibranch is well-matched to its environment and has camouflage that appears to match the coloration and texture of the specific Acropora coral it dwells in. It is unknown if this arises from predation on the coral host, or if the nudibranch is capable of adjusting cells in its mantle in the same fashion as other reef denizens.
Unlike any other nudibranch previously studied, S. Queequeg appears to associate in a structured group with one alpha individual attended by subordinates. All of the nudibranchs in the social group are capable of hunting, but appear to defer primarily to the alpha individual of the group - whose size appears to directly reflect social status. It is not clear to what extent the social grouping impacts the nudibranch behavior - if it is as structured as a hive, or if it is purely communal such as colonial spiders. Primary hunting behavior is exhibited by the alpha individual, though attendants have been observed assisting in hunting of larger prey.
Hunting behavior has been observed straightforwardly as analogous to the predation of fish by snails belonging to the family Conidae. The toxicity of the venom employed by S. Queequeg is unknown at this time, but it is clear that it is extremely effective at immobilizing prey equivalent in size to the nudibranchs themselves. The speed of immobilization via envenomation is on order of that observed in most tetrodotoxins. How the nudibranchs obtain the venom (metabolized from other sources or fabricated by the specimens themselves) is also complettely unknown at this time.
Reproduction is currently under investigation. Like all other nudibranchs, S. Queequeg appears to be hermaphroditic, however it is unclear if the harem-like arrangement of the groupings follows selective mating with the alpha individual, or if there is no discrimination of sexual dimorphism.
Also, this is totally fake, as usual.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Orthogastropoda
Superorder: Heterobranchia
Order: Opisthobranchia
Suborder: Nudibranchia
Current nomenclature: Siphovenator Queequeg
A new species of nudibranch was discovered during a recent biological assessment of Kingman Reef.
This new species of nudibranch exhibits two previously unseen behaviors: harem grouping, and active hunting of prey. It has currently been named rather coltishly after the famed harpooner in Melville's Moby Dick.
Currently only a handful of Siphovenator Queequeg have ever been seen, with the specimens seen only being seen in three distinct groups numbering between 3-5 individuals. Individual nudibranch range in size from 1 cm to 2 cm in length for "attendants" and up to 3 cm for the alpha individuals of the groups.
Due to the extraordinary bias of Kingman Reef towards a predator-heavy environment active prey such as damsels (or the anthias in the illustration) are few and far betwen and are almost exclusively hidden during active periods during the day. S. Queequeg also appears to hide, but does so exclusively within the branches or plates of corals belonging to the genus Acropora. The nudibranch is well-matched to its environment and has camouflage that appears to match the coloration and texture of the specific Acropora coral it dwells in. It is unknown if this arises from predation on the coral host, or if the nudibranch is capable of adjusting cells in its mantle in the same fashion as other reef denizens.
Unlike any other nudibranch previously studied, S. Queequeg appears to associate in a structured group with one alpha individual attended by subordinates. All of the nudibranchs in the social group are capable of hunting, but appear to defer primarily to the alpha individual of the group - whose size appears to directly reflect social status. It is not clear to what extent the social grouping impacts the nudibranch behavior - if it is as structured as a hive, or if it is purely communal such as colonial spiders. Primary hunting behavior is exhibited by the alpha individual, though attendants have been observed assisting in hunting of larger prey.
Hunting behavior has been observed straightforwardly as analogous to the predation of fish by snails belonging to the family Conidae. The toxicity of the venom employed by S. Queequeg is unknown at this time, but it is clear that it is extremely effective at immobilizing prey equivalent in size to the nudibranchs themselves. The speed of immobilization via envenomation is on order of that observed in most tetrodotoxins. How the nudibranchs obtain the venom (metabolized from other sources or fabricated by the specimens themselves) is also complettely unknown at this time.
Reproduction is currently under investigation. Like all other nudibranchs, S. Queequeg appears to be hermaphroditic, however it is unclear if the harem-like arrangement of the groupings follows selective mating with the alpha individual, or if there is no discrimination of sexual dimorphism.
Also, this is totally fake, as usual.