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Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Family: Discodoridae
Order: Nudibranchs
Genus: Jorunna
Species: Jorunna Parva
Evolution
Evolution
no subspecies
it is unknown how long sea bunnies have been in existence, but they were first described on 1938 by Japanese marine biologist Kikutaro Baba
it is very hard to tell exactly from where this species evolved from...
... but the family Discodoridae evolved directly from the Plectronoceratida
the animals that make up Opisthobranchs and Pulmonates (sea slugs and land snails/slugs) have a common ancestry: a group of marine snails with a larval shell, radula, mantle cavity, and peculiarities in their nervous system
Physical Characteristics
Physical Characteristics
less than 1 inch long (abt 2.5cm)
external gills near rear
black and white rhinophores (look like bunny ears)
covered in protuberances (used for sensory functions)
yellow, white, or green in color
spots of black
they are hermaphrodites (have both female and male reproductive organs)
Life Span
Life Span
a couple months to a year
Habitat and Distribution
Habitat and Distribution
Found throughout the Indo-Pacific Ocean from South Africa to Central Pacific
(not an invasive species)
live in coral reefs and at the bottom of tropical waters, clinging to vegetation
temp. range at around 73-84 degrees F
Plants found in their habitat: zooxanthellae, algae, seagrass, mangroves, etc.
Animals found in their habitat: coral, anemones, lobsters, crabs, sponges, clams, seahorses, sea urchins, other sea slug species, sea stars, oysters, types of fish, sea turtles, etc.
Diet
Diet
eats sea sponges (chalinidae)
the sea bunny will steal its toxic defenses from its food
they have special hormones that help them understand the presence of food in their vicinity
they are also surface feeders, so they feed easily from the ocean floor
they dedicate most of their time while active eating (they remain inactive for only about 3-5 hours everyday
Social Structure
Social Structure
they live solitary & do not move that often
they communicate with one another via chemical signals that they secrete into the water
rhinophores help them retrieve chemical signals & help with stimuli
since they are hermaphrodites, there are no differences between the social structure of female v male sea bunnies
Reproduction
Reproduction
like other sea slugs, sea bunnies mate once every couple days
they are hermaphrodites (have both male and female reproductive organs), but they are incapable of self-fertilization
their reproductive organ openings are found on the right side of their body
mating rituals include courtship dancing and cross-fertilization
they exchange sperm with one another to fertilize the other's eggs
Development
Development
eggs are laid in long "ribbons"
eggs take about a week to develop
they then hatch into free-swimming larvae, and eventually settle at the bottom of the ocean as fully developed adults
Causes of Death
Causes of Death
no predators (the sea bunny is extremely toxic)
threats include water pollution, coral bleaching, and decline of biodiversity because of climate change
Competition
Competition
Interspecific competition: they compete over food
Intraspecific competition: they compete over food with animals that also eat sea sponges (such as echinoderms, some fish species, sea turtles, starfish, and other species of sea slugs)
IUCN Rating
IUCN Rating
least concern
exact population in unknown
Impacts on Humans
Impacts on Humans
some of the toxins consumed by sea bunnies are used in cancer treatments for people
the human impact on sea bunnies is pollution and climate change. this also leads to coral bleaching, which directly affects the habitat of sea bunnies
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