After discussing the dynamics of molluscan making-out earlier, it's time for some real-life observations. It seems Chek Jawa's immodest population of hairy seahares (Bursatella leachii) had declared the weekend to be a festival of free and frenzied fornication. Swarms of slugs gathered in the shallow pools, their bulgy bodies pulsating with phallic excitement and flashing with gaudy blue ocelli that probably indicate just how turned-on they are by each others' horny protrusions. Like their relatives the nudibranches, sea hares are hemaphrodite, so everybody in this orgy is happy to poke and be poked in procreational pleasure.
In their fervour to fondle and fuck before their short lives end, some unfortunate parties of copulaters found themselves stranded and baking on high mounds by the falling tide. There they wriggled and worried in jellied lumps, their bodies shrivelled and sunken like patches of living spunk. The recent bluegreen bloom of cyanobacteria that followed the nutrient-rich outpourings of the Johor river probably fuelled this fresh batch of grazers. In their abundance, many probably came to a crushing end in mid-coitus, with some recent footprints in the mud revealing squished (and still throbbing) gangs of slugs that came together for a final blow. Nearby, clusters of their spawn could be seen, looking like little hills of spaghetti (or linguine?) needing just a touch of squid ink to make a light luncheon. Apparently, some people in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines regard the egg masses (and even the grown slugs) as delicatessen. Perhaps they imagine that given the rabbit-like fecundity of these animals, gobbling up their gametes would bring out a case of sea hare today, see heir tomorrow...
sea hare today, see heir tomorrow...
I wish I'd thought of that line.
Posted by: Snail | 26 February 2007 at 07:10 PM