The feeding preferences ofAeolidia papillosa(L.) (Mollusca, Nudibranchia)

A clear preference for the actinian anemones Actinia equina, Anemonia sulcata and Anthopleura elegantissima was demonstrated, while the acontian anemones and Corynactis viridis ranked low in the order of preference. The significance of acontia as defensive structures in anemones is discussed briefly. No differences in food preference were found between eolids collected from Plymouth and Millport; and British Aeolidia behaved in the same way towards Californian anemones as did Californian Aeolidia . The eolids varied in their tendency to bite different species of anemone, but the performance of each individual eolid was similar in different experiments. It is possible that the individual variations may account for conflicting reports in the literature.