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Platydoris inframaculata
Photo courtesy of WebmasterBatangas, Philippines
April 1993
Platydoris inframaculata (Abraham, 1877)
Dave Behrens is in the process of relocating to Gig Harbour, Washington, so you're stuck with me (Webmaster)for this week and possibly the next couple. I'm not about to get into the taxonomy of this branch. For that, you need to consult the reference paper!
This particular specimen was found by my life time dive buddy Jerry Allen at his favorite dive spot in the Batangas, Philippines area, namely Twin Rocks! Twin Rocks at that time was a magical spot, loads of branchs, frogfish, etc. This is also where we (Jerry) found our first Gymnodoris Aurita . Twin Rocks is also where a undescribed ceratosoma was found a few years back but the finders have yet to send me an image of this guy. All right people, you know who you are!
Getting back to this week's subject, you can see its not particularly photogenic. Have never ventured to call a branch "ugly" but this guy comes real close! But then again, I have never met a branch I didn't like so lets welcome Platydoris inframaculata as Branch of the Week (BOW).
Somehow I had the presence of mind to also shoot a ventral view of the animal which is important in making Platydorid identifications. A smudge in the right hand area of the picture was due to a scratch in the port area which went neglected for some time until it became quite a nuisance! A frontal view of the subject was also taken but certainly won't win any "art form" nudibranch photography contest! My system at that time as an FM2 Nikon camera in a Tussey T-300 housing with a MCD strobe. Great system, but I later graduated to a Nikon F3 in a Tussey Proline housing. This was also a super system, but a lot of weight to take overseas. I went digital a couple of years ago and haven't looked back!
Reference:
K.M. Dorgan, Á. Valdés & T.M. Gosliner. 2002. Phylogenetic systematics of the genus Platydoris (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Doridoidea) with descriptions of six new species. Zoologica Scripta. 31(3): 271-319.
Webmaster
San Diego, Calif
July, 2005
March 2005
Ali Hermosillo and Dave Behrens
Author:
Pacific Coast Nudibranchs
Send Dave mail at dave@seachallengers.com
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