The nudibranch Coryphella trophina (Bergh, 1890) (Gastropoda, Nudibranchia) uses twice stolen stinging capsules for its protection

Cover Page

Cite item

Full Text

Open Access Open Access
Restricted Access Access granted
Restricted Access Subscription Access

Abstract

Most nudibranchs feed on hydroid polyps and anemones, using stolen stinging capsules of eaten victims, kleptocnids, for protection. The nudibranch Coryphella trophina (Bergh, 1890) was found to eat other nudibranchs. This predator uses for protection stinging capsules which were stolen twice: once they were stolen by mollusks that fed on cnidarians, and the second time they were stolen by C. trophina itself that ate these mollusks.

Full Text

Restricted Access

About the authors

N. R. Krupitskaya

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Author for correspondence.
Email: nelly-karimova@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

I. A. Ekimova

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: nelly-karimova@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

V. V. Malakhov

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: nelly-karimova@yandex.ru

Academician of the RAS

Russian Federation, Moscow

References

  1. Goodheart J.A., Bely A.E. Sequestration of nematocysts by divergent cnidarian predators: mechanism, function, and evolution // Invertebrate Biology. 2017. Vol. 136, No. 1, P. 75–91.
  2. Nikitenko E.D., Vortsepneva E.V. Spicule complex of three Onchidorididae species (Gastropoda: Doridina) from the White Sea // Invertebrate Zoology. 2020. Vol. 17, No. 1, P. 44–58.
  3. Ekimova I.A., Vorobyeva O.A., Mikhlina A.L., et al. Nematocyst sequestration within the family Fionidae (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) considering ecological properties and evolution // Frontiers in Zoology. 2022. Vol. 19, No. 1, P. 29.
  4. Andersen R.J., Desjardine K., Woods K. Skin chemistry of nudibranchs from the West Coast of North America // Molluscs: From Chemo-ecological Study to Biotechnological Application. 2006. P. 277–301.
  5. Vorobyeva O.A., Malakhov V.V., Ekimova I.A. General and fine structure of Aeolidia papillosa cnidosacs (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) //Journal of morphology. 2021. Vol. 282, No. 5, P. 754–768.
  6. Goodheart J.A., Bleidißel S., Schillo D., et al. Comparative morphology and evolution of the cnidosac in Cladobranchia (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia: Nudibranchia) //Frontiers in zoology. 2018. Vol. 15, No. 1, P. 1–18.
  7. Frick K.E. Nematocyst complements of nudibranchs in the genus Flabellina in the Gulf of Maine and the effect of diet manipulations on the cnidom of Flabellina verrucosa //Marine biology. 2005. Vol. 147. No. 6, P. 1313–1321.
  8. Greenwood P.G. Acquisition and use of nematocysts by cnidarian predators // Toxicon. 2009. Vol. 54, No. 1, P. 1065–1070.
  9. Roginskaya I.S. Coryphella tropina (Bergh) (Nudibranchia: Coryphellidae): feeding characteristics, synonymy, distribution // Feeding and bioenergetics of marine benthic invertebrates. Moscow, Institute of Oceanology of the USSR Academy of Sciences. 1990a. P. 47–57.
  10. Kavtaradze D.N., Valovaya M.A. Microtechnics. Rules, techniques, art, experiment // Moscow: Moscow University Press. 1993. P. 83.
  11. Ekimova I.A., Valdes A., Chichvarkhin A., et al. Diet-driven ecological radiation and allopatric speciation result in high species diversity in a temperate-cold water marine genus Dendronotus (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) // Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 2019. Vol. 141, No. 1, P. 106609.
  12. Ekimova I.A. A new species of the genus Coryphella (Gastropoda: Nudibranchia) from the Kuril Islands // Ruthenica, Russian Malacological Journal. 2022. Vol. 32, No. 1, P. 41–48.
  13. Östman C. A guideline to nematocyst nomenclature and classification, and some notes on the systematic value of nematocysts // Scientia Marina. 2000. Vol. 64, No. 1, P. 1–31.

Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
Action
1. JATS XML
Download
2. Fig. 1. Contents of the stomachs of Coryphella: A – food bolus with jaws of an unidentified nudibranch mollusk from the family Coryphellidae (1), radula of Coryphella alexanderi (2) and jaws of an unidentified representative of the family Dendronotidae (3); B – food bolus with nematocysts eurythelas (4); C – eurythelas from the food bolus at high magnification: 5 – stinging thread, 6 – stinging capsule.

Download (428KB)
Indexing metadata
3. Fig. 2. Diagram of a longitudinal section of the cerata of Coryphella trophina. mc – muscular sheath of the cnidosacus; lu – lumen; cnph – cnidophage; klcn – kleptocnids; mb – body muscles; hc – hemocoel; dg – digestive gland; ep – epidermis; cn – cnidosacus.

Download (483KB)
Indexing metadata

Copyright (c) 2025 Russian Academy of Sciences