Umiushi no Seitai Kansatsu Zukan [Ecology of Sea Slugs & Nudibranchs Illustrated]

About this book

Language: Japanese, with scientific nomenclature

There are several sea slug encyclopedias published, but most of them are encyclopedias of the species. In reality, the classification of the species often changes, and there are many aspects of their ecology that are even more unclear than their classification. Thus, although sea slugs are well known to the general public, there are still many mysteries surrounding them.

Even in aquariums across Japan, there are very few where sea slugs are kept, and the main reason for this is the procurement of "food." The main challenge is the need to regularly obtain fresh food such as sponges and seaweed, which are different for each species. While you may wonder how beautiful sea slugs would be if you could keep them in your home aquarium, there is a reason why you cannot actually keep them. The Kagoshima Aquarium "Sea Slug Research Institute" was the first in Japan to open a permanent exhibition of sea slugs, and is committed to displaying and raising them. This book is written by Kazunori Nishida of the Sea Slug Research Institute, and introduces the feeding, mating, egg-laying, and other behaviours of 232 species of sea slugs that have been discovered through breeding, with appropriate photographs. In addition, it lists 169 species of creatures that sea slugs feed on, making it a pictorial guide that allows you to learn more about sea slugs.

Summary in Japanese:
ウミウシ図鑑はいくつか出版されていますが、その多くは種の図鑑です。実際には、その種の分類でも変更が生じてしまうことが多く、その生態となると、分類以上に未解明な点が多いのです。このように、ウミウシは、これだけ一般の人にも認知されている生き物ではありますが、まだまだ謎が多い生き物といえます。

日本各地の水族館でも、ウミウシを飼育しているケースはじつに少なく、その一番の理由は「食餌」の調達にあります。各々の種により食餌となる異なったカイメンや海藻などの新鮮なものを、定期的に入手する必要があることが一番の課題です。ウミウシが家の水槽で飼育できたらどんなにきれいなんだろう…と思いながら、実際には飼育ができないのには、そこに理由があります。
かごしま水族館「うみうし研究所」は、日本ではじめてウミウシの常設展を開設し、その展示飼育に力を入れています。本書は、その「うみうし研究所」の西田和記氏を著者に、飼育によりわかってきた232種のウミウシの接餌や交尾、産卵などの様子を、適宜写真を交えながら紹介しています。その他、ウミウシの餌となる生き物を169種も掲載し、ウミウシのことをさらに知ることができる図鑑といえます。

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