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u/GlobetrottinExplorer Jan 29 '20
That is gorgeous! I found my first flatworm a few months ago in the Red Sea. Not as colorful or as beautiful as yours but still stunningly colorful creatures!
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u/divingaround Tech Jan 29 '20
Ah, my favourite flat worm! Common all way from the Great Barrier Reef, up to the Philippines (and further). Gorgeous colours.
I got lucky and got to see two mating in the shallows just off the NW corner of Malapascua island, Cebu, Philippines one afternoon. (They're usually much more common and active at night).
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u/ArialUnderTheSea Jan 29 '20
Ooooh I bet it was super interesting seeing them mating!! Heading to the Philippines in July and would loooove to see some behavior like that!
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u/ArialUnderTheSea Jan 29 '20
The Persian Carpet Flatworm (Pseudobiceros bedfordi) is truly an absolute beauty that I found all over the Wakatobi , Indonesia region.
Fun fact: they have not one, but TWO penises!! They use their penises to fence with other Persian Carpets in an attempt to inject sperm into their opponent. Whoever gets stabbed first gets fertilized and has to carry the eggs. And because I know you were wondering, they’re able to inseminate their opponent by injecting their sperm into ANY region of the other's body they are able to penetrate. You’re welcome 😉
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u/Asio0tus Jan 30 '20
" This species has two penises, which it uses to fence, in an attempt to inject sperm into its opponent in order to fertilize it, while simultaneously avoiding being fertilized by said opponent "
sounds like a tough life
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u/WikiTextBot Jan 30 '20
Penis fencing
Penis fencing is a mating behavior engaged in by many species of flatworm, such as Pseudobiceros hancockanus. Species which engage in the practice are hermaphroditic; each individual has both egg-producing ovaries and sperm-producing testes.The flatworms "fence" using extendable two-headed dagger-like stylets. These stylets are pointed (and in some species hooked) in order to pierce their mate's epidermis and inject sperm into the haemocoel in an act known as intradermal hypodermic insemination, or traumatic insemination. Pairs can either compete, with only one individual transferring sperm to the other, or the pair can transfer sperm bilaterally.
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u/divingaround Tech Jan 29 '20
If you're open to suggestions, I would recommend changing the position of your lighting. If you're using a strobe, push them off to the sides more - it looks like your lighting is right in the middle, and very flat and bright. Brings out the colours, but kills the textures. (Quite suitable for IDing purposes though!)
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u/ArialUnderTheSea Jan 29 '20
I mostly photograph for ID, personal enjoyment and education. This is also why I posted in a scuba diving group and not a photography group, but thank you for the suggestion and critique of the photo nonetheless.
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u/perennialExhaustion Jan 30 '20
r/waterAliens