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Toxin Secretion and Tail Autotomy by Irritated Oxynoe Panamensis (Opisthobranchiata; Sacoglossa) 1

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Toxin Secretion and Tail Autotomy by Irritated Oxynoe Panamensis (Opisthobranchiata; Sacoglossa) 1 Toxin Secretion and Tail Autotomy by Irritated Oxynoe panamensis (Opisthobranchiata; Sacoglossa) 1 RALPH A. L EWIN2 ABSTRACT : Th e green sacoglossan gastropod Oxynoe panamensis occurs in man­ grove swamps on the coasts of Baja California, Mexico, apparently feeding exclu­ sively on the green siphonaceous alga Caulerpa sertularioides. When irritated, it secretes an astringent, milky mucus, which contains a toxin lethal to fish. Continued molestation may induce autotomy of the tail. THE ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION of Oxynoe pana­ aquaria, and laid coils of yellow eggs which mensis (Mollusca: Opisthobranchiata) by hatched as veligers within 13 days (at 21 0 C) . Pilsbry and Olsson (19 42) was based on empty Their subsequent development was not followed. shells collected in Panama. Living animals iden­ tified as this species were first reported by Smith TOXIN SECRETION (1961), who collected specimens near La Paz, Baja California, Mexico. The sluglike animals When the animal is molested or irritated may reach 3 cm in length . They have paired mechanically or chemically, for example, with tentacles (rhinophores) and paired eyes; a alcohol, it begins within a few seconds to secrete visceral hump enclosed in a lightly calcified, a mucoid, milky exudate from its skin. Several globular shell, partly covered by pallial folds ; hours after such a discharge, further secretion and a relatively long, muscular tail (Figs . 1- 4). can be produced if the animal is again irritated. We found them in the same area in 1967 and This can be attributed to biosynthesis of fresh 1969, usually in mangrove swamps, and always exudate, since animals incubated for a day in 14 associated with mats of Caulerpa sertularioides the presence of C 0 2 secrete a milky exudate 4 (Gmelin) Howe (Chlorophyceae ; Siphonales). labeled with 0 • The mucus is initially tasteless, In May 1969, these animals were relatively but within a few seconds it tastes caustic and abundant (about one individual found per astringent to the tongue. This secretion is pre­ square meter) in a dense mat of C. sertularioides sumably a defence mechanism, since it is not overlying calcareous ooze, at depths of less than only irritant but also poisonous to fish (and , 1 meter, in a shallow bay at the south end of Isla probably, to other animals) . Partida. They are green, with white papillae, and are particularly well camouflaged among the ACTION AND NATURE OF THE TOXIN fronds of Caulerpa, on which they feed by One-quarter of the discharge from a single puncturing the wall and sucking up cytoplasm, adult, mixed in 100 ml of seawater, is sufficient including whole chloroplasts. Oxynoe antillarum to kill a 5-gm specimen of the herring H aren­ was reported to feed almost exclusively on gula thryssina (Clu peidae) within 15 minutes. Caulerpa (Wa rmke and Almodovar, 1963). One-fiftieth of a discharge dispersed in 2 ml of Certain other sacoglossans are generally found pond water is sufficient to kill a 40-mg guppy, living on species of siphonaceous algae such as Lebistes reticulatus (Cyprinodontidae), within Caulerpa, Bryopsis, Codium (Kay, 1964; Burn, 30 minutes. The symptoms exhibited by these 1966; Doty, 1966; Taylor, 1968). fishes include convulsive movements of the body, O. panamensis copulated readily in our irregular activity of the gill opercula, paroxysms, and a few seconds of tremor leading to death. 1 Manuscript received December 18, 1969. The exudate from Oxynoe may contain a 2 Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California (San Diego), La Jolla, California 92037, neurotoxin, perhaps ultimately of pharmaceutical U. S. A. interest. The toxic factor passes through dialysis 356 Oxynoe panamemis-LEWIN 357 :~~;>~<~? '" -"': ," -',.. •~ , ~ >. ~ ./1" . ~< ~ , "t ;. ' :~ . ~ .! ' t' ' ...... FIGS. 1- 4. Oxynoe panamensis. 1 and 2, Living animal, extended and moving, X 2. (Photographs by Walter E. H arvey.) 3, Thin, calcified shells, X0.45. 4, Same, X 2.7. (Photographs by James E. Rupert.) membranes. It is thermostable, remaining active detached tail continues to twitch sporadically for after boiling in seawater for 5 minutes. It is not several minutes. Similar autotomous reactions to precipitated by 80 percent ethanol, which molestation have been reported in other opistho­ precipitates only the mucous moiety of the branchs, for example, Lobiger (Gonor, 1961) . exudate. The alcohol-soluble portion from the discharge of one animal has been calculated to ACKNOWLEDGMENTS contain less than 1.0 mg of organic carbon. Poisonous milky exudates are produced on These observations were made during, and irritation by other opisthobranchs, such as immediately following, short expeditions to species of Acteon, Phyllidia, Aplysia, etc. (Fret­ Baja California in the springs of 1967 and 1969, ter and Graham, 1954; Johannes, 1963; Thomp­ on R. V. "Falcon" and R. V."Dolphin," re­ son, 1960; Halstead, 1965), but the toxic spectively, supported by the Foundation for components have not yet been sufficiently well Ocean Research, San Diego, California. I am characterized for useful comparisons. indebted to Mr. James Lance for identifying the molluscs. This is a Contribution from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. AUTOTOMY OF THE TAIL When Oxyn oe panamensis is persistently irri­ LITERATURE CITED tated mechanically, it responds by strong lateral movements of the tail, which is eventually de­ BURN, R. 1966. The opisthobranchs of a cauler­ tached at its anterior junction, just behind the pan microfauna from Fiji. Proceedings of the visceral hump. Autotomy is presumably medi­ Malacological Society of London, vol. 37, ated by a circular muscle in that region. The pp. 45-65. 358 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. 24, July 1970 DOTY, M. S. 1966. Improvement and application logical Society of London, vol. 36, pp. 191­ of benthic algal isotope productivity measur­ 197. ing methods. Hawaii Botanical Science Paper PILSBRY, H. A., and A. OLSSON. 1942. New No.1, University of Hawaii. marine mollusks from the west coast. Nau­ FRETTER, V., and A. GRAHAM. 1954. Observa­ tilus, vol. 56, pp. 78-81. tions on the opisthobranch mollusc Acteon SMITH, A. G. 1961. Notes on the habitat of tornatilis (1.). Journal of the Marine Bio­ Berthelinia spec. nov. from the vicinity of logical Association, United Kingdom, vol. 33, La Paz, B. c., Mexico. Veliger, vol. 3, pp. pp. 565-585. 81-82. GONOR, J. J. 1961. Observations on the biology TAYLOR, D. 1. 1968. Chloroplasts as symbiotic Lobiger serradijalca, of a shelled sacoglossan organelles in the digestive gland of Elysia opisthobranch from the Mediterranean. Vie et viridis (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia) . Jour­ Milieu, vol. 12, pp. 381-403. nal of the Marine Biological Association, HALSTEAD, B. W. 1965. Poisonous and venom­ United Kingdom, vol. 48, pp. 1-15. ous marine animals of the world. Vol. 1. In­ vertebrates, pp. 709-715. Washington, D. C, THOMPSON, T. E. 1960. Defensive adaptations D. S. Government Printing Office. in opisthobranchs. Journal of the Marine Bio­ JOHANNES, R. E. 1963. A poison-secreting nudi­ logical Association, United Kingdom , vol. 39, branch (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia) . Veliger, pp. 123-134. vol. 5, pp. 104-105. WARMKE, G. 1., and 1. R. ALMODOVAR. 1963. KAY, ALISON. 1964. A new species of Bertbe­ Some associations of marine molluscs and linia and its associated sacoglossans in the algae in Puerto Rico. Malacologia, vol. 1, Hawaiian Islands. Proceedings of the Malaco- pp. 163-177..
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