Cadlina limbaughorum

Photo courtesy of Dr. Marc Chamberlain
Channel Islands, Calif

This is one of the last species described by one of the greastest Brancher's on this coast - Jim Lance. What ever happened to Jimbo? Originally named "limbaughi" the name was changed to reflect the ICZN - Rules on Scientific Nomenclature which require that when a species is given a patronym naming it after two or more persons the ending must be "-orum." In Jim's original description he dedicates the species to both Conrad Limbaugh (famed Dive Master from Scripp's Institution of Oceanography) and his wife Nan. In 1951, Conrad Limbaugh, the scientific diving officer at Scripps Oceanographic Institution, developed the first civilian scuba course. His program later becomes the basis of the Los Angeles County dive program, developed by Al Tillman and Bev Morgan in 1954, the first public scuba certification. While at Scripps, Limbaugh wrote the first scientific dive safety manual and establishes standards still in use today.

There are several species of Cadlina along this coast. Cadlina limbaughorum is the only one with black rhinophores and gills, and no yellow markings. Cadlina flavomaculata has black rhinophores and yellow spots and margin. Cadlina luteomarginata , as the name suggests, has a yellow marginal band. Cadlina modesta has yellow specks, and Cadlina sparsa has a series of small spots with yellow centers. These are all covered in my book Pacific Coast Nudibranchs , of course.

This species known range is from Santa Barbara California to Johnson's Seamount off Baja California. Specimens measure up to about 33 mm in length.

Background Information on Conrad Limbaugh courtesy of DivingHistory.com

Marc Chamberlain is by vocation a neurologist and by avocation a wildlife photographer. He enjoys traveling during which he is always toting cameras. His diving holidays have been to the Carribean, up and down the west coast of the Americas and throughout the Indo-Pacific. His photographs have appeared in numerous magazines including: National Geographic; International and National Wildlife; Ocean Realm; Outside; and various Cousteau Society publications. Marc has collaborated on several books including Nudibranchs of the Pacific Coast. Marc was also San Diego Underwater Photographic Society Photographer of the Year six times during the time he lived in the San Diego County area. Marc has participated in thirteen consecutive San Diego Underwater Society Film Festivals which has to be a club record! Send Marc mail at chamberl@usc.edu

David W. Behrens Author: Pacific Coast Nudibranchs Co-Author Coral Reef Animals of the Indo Pacific Propriator of Sea Challengers Natural History Books ! Send Dave mail at seachalleng@earthlink.net

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