Coralliophila abbreviata, coral-eating mollusk
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Coralliophila abbreviata, coral-eating mollusk| reefnet |
Posted: Apr 15 2011, 08:56 PM
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Silver Member  Group: Members Posts: 486 Member No.: 1,432 Joined: 12-January 09  |
This one is from Grand Cayman. Perhaps its behavior can help identify it. It has a very long proboscis that it uses to eat living coral polyps. It's apparently in the family Coralliophilidae. Can anyone put a name to it?
 - Les www.reefnet.ca |
 
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| Marlo |
Posted: Apr 16 2011, 08:19 AM
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 LTS Administrator Group: Admin Posts: 1,987 Member No.: 2 Joined: 12-November 05 |
Just not enough shell pictured to assign a species name. Probably Coralliophila abbreviata (Lamarck, 1816) based upon the coral it's associated with, but could just as well be C. caribaea or C. galea (Reeve, 1846).
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| gwatters |
Posted: Apr 18 2011, 03:19 PM
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 61 Member No.: 83 Joined: 18-June 06 |
These are great photos! I know coralliophilids are radula-less predators/parasites on cnidarians, but has anyone else documented this behavior?
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