All the photos shown on this page were taken in December 2010 on a large population (20 and 30 specimens of different sizes, from 10 to 90 mm) living in a permanent pool of the rocky coast of Etang Salé les Bains
By Christophe Cadet
Courtship behavior 1 : Both specimens come face to face ( a), circling ( b ), as observed in a fight, make a full turn to come face-to-tail ( c ) Reunion, Etang salé les bains, less 1 m, 14 December 2010, 11h57 to 12h00, size : 60-70 mm (length : 3 minutes)
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Courtship behavior 2 : One of them grabs the other behind the cephalic shield ( a ) and drags (b and c) on the side or back of another specimen . The lateral parapodia are loose, at times revealing the gills ( c ) Reunion, Etang salé les bains, less 1 m, 14 December 2010, 11h57 to 12h00, size : 60-70 mm (length : 3 minutes) |
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Mating behavior 3 : After a few minutes, the two individuals recovering head to tail and begins copulation. During this phase, a cylinder of mucus is secreted I could not observe when the two individuals separate Reunion, Etang salé les bains, less 1 m, 14 December 2010, 12h00, size : 60-70 mm
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Spawning behavior : Réunion, Etang salé les bains, less 1 m, 5 December 2010, 21h15-22h00, size : 55 mm 45 minutes : The spawn is not over ... During this period, Christophe Cadet observed fifty spawns on the sandy substrate of this permanent pool Most spawns have occurred at night ( only a few during the day ) |
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Spawning behavior : Réunion, Etang salé les bains, less 1 m, 14 December 2010, 12h05 to 12h37, size : 30 mm 32 minutes : The spawn is over ...
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