Morro Bay 11-4-09

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Good day for nudibranchs:

Polycera atra:


Flabellina trilineata:


Acanthodoris lutae:


Also lots of little sculpins posing:

Sculpin head-on:


Sculpin:

[FrankPro1]

Excellent Series! What are you shooting with?

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Thanks FrankPro1. Fuji S2 Pro DSLR, Nikon 60mm lens, Subal FS2 housing, 2-Nikon SB-105 strobes.

[Larry C]

Cool shots, Ken. I've never seen a Polycera atra or Acanthadoris lutae. I wonder if they range this far north?

[Bubbletrubble]

Beautiful pics! Which dive site in the Morro Bay area?

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Thanks Larry and Bubbletrubble!

@Bubbletrubble - North T-Pier (the Coast Guard Pier)

@Larry - Don't know Larry, I've never seen either one in Monterey.

[Bubbletrubble]

I've never seen a Polycera atra or Acanthadoris lutae. I wonder if they range this far north?

@Larry - Don't know Larry, I've never seen either one in Monterey.

We see black dorids (Polycera atra) a fair amount here in San Diego. Earlier this year, we did a few night dives at La Jolla Shores where you couldn't swing a dead cat (underwater) and not hit one. They tend to be quite camouflaged, but once you recognize their coloration and know where they like to hang out (certain bryozoans)...it makes spotting them much easier. The baby ones always seem so camera shy (probably because I have a P&S with very limited macro capabilities).

I've spotted the orange-peel dorid (Acanthodoris lutea) in La Bufadora (Baja Mexico), Point Loma kelp beds (San Diego), and the Channel Islands. The Slugsite reports that its geographic distribution extends all the way up to Oregon.

Thanks for the info about the specific dive site. I grew up in Paso Robles, and I return periodically to visit family there. Now I'll have to bring my dive gear along.

[TSandM]

Gorgeous pictures, and thank you for putting them up! You've made the list of people whose photographs I look for in picking threads!