An unusual hybrid...... or trick of light?

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Hintermann

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Location
Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, UK
# of dives
500 - 999
I took a picture of this unusual looking nudibranch on the recent trip to Raja Ampat. I have posted it along with a few others in another thread but decided to put it separately because of the responses that I received from a few knowledgeable web sources. Opinions seem to vary from it being a possible hybrid to an optical illusion due to the relative position of my strobes.

I took it at about 18 metres and the critter was the size of my little finger. It is a Nembrotha of some kind but has the features of both N yonowae and N livingstonei. The problem that I find with the "trick of light" theory is that there is a sharp line of colour demarcation between the front and rear halves of the critter near the "waist" (You can see that near the gills)

I sent copies of the image to several nudi sources that I found on the web and most have responded. I did not use the Facebook based one because a few weeks ago I was obliged to close my Facebook account due to being contacted by those that I did not wish to be. If any other SB member wants to borrow the image to make enquiries, please feel free. I am interested in knowing what this critter is.

This flickr link brings-up a full-screen image https://flic.kr/p/piqRMf
 

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Hi Hintermann,

Did you contact Nathalie Yonow?
 
Hi Hintermann,

Did you contact Nathalie Yonow?
Not as far as I know unless she is part of one of the several groups to which that I sent the picture. But I would love to contact her directly if you know the details (no Facebook please, my account is closed)
 
...The problem that I find with the "trick of light" theory is that there is a sharp line of colour demarcation between the front and rear halves of the critter near the "waist" (You can see that near the gills)

Hintermann, I think it's the strobe lighting that causes the effect. Parts in the shade are darker and show only the red dots. The right side is overexposed which washes out the color. In the shade are the part behind the gills and also some bits on the left. Take a look at the similar effect which causes the tunicates to also have a "sharp line of colour demarcation".
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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