Publication Date:
2021-07-14
Description:
Pseudoceros prudhoei is usually found on rocky or reef habitats, swimming in open waters or under coral rubble plates, where they find their prey, the ascidians. Maximum length is 5 cm in Persian Gulf (Iran, Kish Island). While some of the free-living flatworms tend to hide under rocks escaping from the sunlight, colorful polyclads usually demonstrate a very conspicuous behavior, swimming through the water column next to coral reefs. These animals actually do not need to avoid predators, because their bright color pattern works as a warning sign about their distastefulness and toxicity. None of the animals had a negative response to the presence of light. When the flashlight was turned on, they started swimming around and exploring the environment and none of the worms hid under the rocks searching for cover. In fact, the light didn’t seem to bother them at all, as some would swim toward it, swim back and settle down at any spot. P. prudhoei is not negatively phototactic and reinforce the function of aposematic coloration in pseudocerotids. P. prudhoei is hermaphrodites with both male and female reproductive systems functional at the same time, and reproduce by internal fertilization.
Keywords:
Biology
;
Fisheries
;
Pseudoceros prudhoei
Repository Name:
AquaDocs
Type:
other
Format:
application/pdf
Format:
application/pdf
