 |
Hypselodoris sp.
Photo courtesy of Robert YinPhotograph taken at Komodos Islands Indonesia, Oct. 2003
Hypselodoris sp. (apparently undescribed)
San Diego Underwater Photographer Bob Yin (AKA Uncle Bob) has come across an interesting chromodorid nudibranch which is apparently undescribed. At first I thought it was just the more or less common Hypselodoris emma (Bill Rudman's Sea Slug Forum) but then I realized that the color of the dorsal stripes is exactly opposite of H. emma . The stripes seen in Bob's photo from the Komodos, are white with a deep red border, while in H. emma these stripes are always reddish-purple, edged with white. Otherwise the color of the mantle margin, rhinophores and gills is the same.
Other species with somewhat similar dorsal color patterns as Bob's critter here are Hypselodoris whitei and H. maridadilus . H. emma is known from throughout the tropical Indo-west Pacific, where as both H. whitei is western Pacific and H. maridadilus is pretty much limited to the western Indian Ocean.
Unfortunately this specimen was not collected so we will have to wait for another day to get a peek at its internal anatomy, and make an attempt to give it a new name.
Danville, Calif
Jan 2004
As an active member of the San Diego Underwater Photographic Society , Robert Yin has been taking underwater photographs world-wide for over 30 years, specializing in the Philippines. His photographs have appeared in many magazines and books including Skin Diver, Ocean Realm, Discover Diving, Philippines Airlines' Mabuhay Magazine, Action Asia, Asian Diver, National Geographic, Trauchen, Espacio Profundo, Sport Divers Journal, and scientific journals. He has won many photographic awards including Nikon Photo Contest International. He was a presenter at the 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994 and 1998 San Diego Underwater Film Festivals. His photos have been exhibited in galleries including Sea Center Santa Barbara, S. Birch Aquarium-Museum San Diego, Cabrillo Aquarium, Manila Hotel and the Monterey Aquarium. Bob's photo was taken with a Nikon RS, 50mm lens, 2-Sea&Sea YS-120 strobes, and Kodachrome 64 film For those of you that have kids, you might be interested in Bob's series of books on Marine Life For Young Readers . For the adults, Bob has a coffee table book "Beneath Philippine Seas" based on his extensive diving experience in the Philippines. Send Bob mail at ryin1@san.rr.com |
