Nudibranch Lovers

[Tjack]

The Rainbow Nudibranch (Dendronotus iris) is a giant indeed. I came across a pair of them off Santa Cruz Is. their eggs were like a bowl of Ramen noodles.

I've been meaning to take a magnifying glass diving for a while, so many Nudibranchs are too small for my naked eye to see.

 

[supergaijin]

The Maldives is justifiably not famous for nudibranchs. IME more can be found in the northern atolls.

In Laamu Atoll in particular I have only seen one nudibranch species thus far which is:

Gymnodoris ceylonica

More common are other types of slugs/flatworms etc. The Maldivian lagoon areas which are not as often explored- I certainly had a lot of time on my hands during the low season here. I have found that there are sometimes distinct 'seasons' where these animals are seen. For example February 2013, the lagoon exploded in the Gymnodoris ceylonia (above) when there were literally thousands carpeting the algae which bloomed at that time. 5 weeks later there were none.

The shield slugs seem to be present year round however periodically there is a noticable population increase in the Chelinodura varians. Towards the end of the year in the Maldives a fairly consistent 3-week wind seems to blow in from the north (Sri Lanka) bringing more specification in to the Maldives which normally sees SW/ENE winds. Anyway...



Pseudobiceros bedfordi, Chelinodura varians, Philinopsis cynaea (with 2 colour variations)[FONT=Enriqueta, georgia, serif][/FONT]

 

[Roko]

Another slightly larger species: a Red Dendronotid.



(Porteau Cove, BC)

Interestingly, the photo is actually upsidedown

Sent from my Zeagle N2ition

 

[Roko]

Yellow and White Tipped nudibranch, Whytecliff park BC. One of my favorite local species, albeit less common.



Sent from my Zeagle N2ition

 

[Tjack]

Yo Roko, good to have BC in the house. I dove Quadra Is. in March once in a 7mm wetsuit brrrrrrr. Been meaning to get back up there now that I have a Whites drysuit. Your Red gilled Nudi looks like a pale form of the Spanish Shawl common down south.

Nice overview of Maldives Nudi action there Supergaijin. Interesting what you are saying about a sparsity of Nudis around the Maldives. The Caribbean is likewise not great for Nudibranch abundance. The Lettuce Sea Slug (Tridachia crispata) is the predominant species there. It is an algae eater as well, and I found huge numbers in Curacao last year, similar to what you described regarding Gymnodoris ceylonia in the Madives. Could be a seasonal thing in the Caribbean as well. Nudibranch species become more diverse as one approaches Atlantic waters as WetLens and djtimmy77 have shown.

Here is a Lettuce Sea Slug (Tridachia crispata) from Curacao last November



Lettuce Sea slug comes in many color varients, anyone have shots of a green one?

 

[Wisnu]

here, few from Indonesia


Nudibranch 1 Lembeh by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr


Nudi 4 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr


Nudi 4 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr


Nudi 7 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr


Nudi 3 by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr


Flabelina by Wisnu Purwanto Family, on Flickr

 

[Steve_C]

Yellow and White Tipped nudibranch, Whytecliff park BC. One of my favorite local species, albeit less common.

Did a couple dives in Whytecliff a summer ago while in Vancouver. Saw some nudis on every dive but not that one.

 

[merxlin]

Great shots Wisnu!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Here's a few more from Anilao.

Ceratosoma gracillimum

Chelidonura amoena

Chelidonura varians

Chromodoris albopunctata

Chromodoris reticulata

Chromodoris roboi

Flabellina rubrolineata

Juvenile Hexabranchus sanguineus

Nembrotha rutilans

Nembrotha yonowae

Pectenodoris trilineata

Phyllidia coelestis

Phyllidia elegans

Phyllidia occellata

Phyllidia varicosa

Phyllidiella pustolosa

Phyllodesmium crypticum

Plakobranchus sp. 1

Risbecia sp. 2

Trapania sp.

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[MaxBottomtime]

More SoCal nudis.

Diaphorodoris lirulatocauda, a big name for such a tiny critter.

Polycera atra

Doriopsilla spaldingi

Acanthodoris hudsoni

Facelina stearnsi

Cadlina limbaughorum

Doriopsilla albopunctata

Cadlina luteomarginata

Cadlina flavomaculata

Triopha catalinae

Diaulula sandiegensis

Laila cockerelli

Doris montereyensis

Aegires albopunctatus

Janolus fuscus

Aeolidia papillosa

Adalaria jannae

Pleurobranchaea californica

Rictaxis punctocaelatus

Melibe lionina

Dirona picta

Acanthodoris lutea