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Cyphoma gibbosum
The flamingo feeds by browsing on the living tissues of the soft corals on which it lives. Common prey include Briareum spp., Gorgonia spp., Plexaura spp., and Plexaurella spp. Adult female C. gibbosum attach eggs to coral which they have recently fed upon. After roughly a week and a half, the larvae hatch. They are planktonic and eventually settle onto other gorgonian corals. Juveniles tend to remain on the underside of coral branches while adults are far more visible and mobile. Adults scrape the polyps off the coral with their radula, leaving an easily visible feeding scar on the coral. However, the corals can regrow the polyps, and therefore predation by C. gibbosum is generally not lethal.
Sharon's Serenity dive site in Klein Bonaire.
11 Comments
Thank you! :-D
Wonderful image. Congratulations on your 2nd place.
Stunning shots. Congratulations.
Congrats The MnMs
Congratulations MnMs!
Congratulations the MnMs.
Congratulations the MnMs, this spotting came second in our 2018 Best Wildlife Photo Competition, Others category!
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Spectacular shot of both snail and the Gorgonian - thanks !
That looks fantastic Marta!
Yes, in some other spottings in the area I have seen even bigger scars. I was surprised -and happy- to learn that the coral recovers.
Beautiful pattern! I love how you can see its effect on the coral.