Adaptable defense: A nudibranch mucus inhibits nematocyst discharge and changes with prey type

Nudibranchs that feed on cnidarians must defend themselves from the prey's nematocysts or risk their own injury or death. While a nudibranch's mucus has been thought to protect the animal from nematocyst discharge, an inhibition of discharge by nudibranch mucus has never been shown. The current study investigated whether mucus from the aeolid nudibranch Aeolidia papillosa would inhibit nematocyst discharge from four species of sea anemone prey. Sea anemone tentacles were contacted with mucuscoated gelatin probes, and nematocyst discharge was quantified and compared with control probes of gelatin only. Mucus from A. papillosa inhibited the discharge of nematocysts from sea anemone tentacles. This inhibition was specifically limited to the anemone species on which the nudibranch had been feeding. When the prey species was changed, the mucus changed within 2 weeks to inhibit the nematocyst discharge of the new prey species. The nudibranchs apparently produce the inhibitory mucus rather than simply becoming coated in anemone mucus during feeding. Because of the intimate association between most aeolid nudibranchs and their prey, an adaptable mucus protection could have a significant impact on the behavior, distribution, and life history of the nudibranchs.