I've certainly found Velutina plicatilis feeding on a Polyclinid, I think
Aplidium punctum. Graham (1988, Molluscs: Prosobranch & Pyramidellid
Gastropods - Linnean Society) mentions Velutina velutina feeding on solitary
ascidians such as Styela.
I think it is unlikely that you have Velutina velutina in Brazil, it's a NE
Atlantic species (Graham says circumboreal so he's probably right).
Certainly I wouldn't expect it as far south as Brazil. In most groups where
so-called cosmopolitan species have been checked with DNA investigations
they have turned out to be distinct species.
Bernard
At 12:06 28/06/2004 -0300, you wrote:
>Hello to all
>
> My name is Gustavo Muniz Dias, I´m from Brazil and I'm working on space
>competition between ascidians and others foulling invertebrates and it´s
>morfological and celular modifications front of space restriction. But,
>actually, I'm interested to know if there is any work in progress or
>published paper describing Velutina velutina feeding or laying its eggs
>on ascidians tunic. I´ve already seen some pictures on internet, but
>couldn’t find any scientific paper describing this last kind of
>interaction.
>
>Thanks
>Gustavo Muniz Dias
>Depto. de Zoologia, sala 70, UNICAMP
>Tel.: (19)37886341 (19)97122541
>
>
>
Bernard E. Picton, Curator of marine invertebrates, Zoology Department,
Ulster Museum, Belfast BT9 5AB, Northern Ireland, UK.
Phone: Int + 44-28-9038 3148 UK: 028 9038 3148 or 3141/3131 (secretaries)
Fax: Int + 44-28-9038 3103 UK: 028 9038 3103
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Web pages: http://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/
http://www.pictonb.freeserve.co.uk/
"The beginning of wisdom is calling things by their right names."
(Chinese proverb)
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