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Tambja blacki
Photo courtesy of Nerida Wilson and theJournal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
Tambja blacki Pola, Cervera & Gosliner 2006
The team of Marta Pola, Juan Lucas Cervera and Terry Gosliner is really knocking them out lately. This wild new species of Tambja is named in honor of friend and fellow Branch enthusiast – Jim Black. You will recognize Jim from his BOW’s ( 417 , 485 ,and 486 ).
According to the original description the color is variable from yellow-green to green with dark green or black blotches. It has a series of large disconnected blotches on the notum and sides of the body. Characteristic are two elongate blotches running posteriorly from the rhinophores. There are two more pairs of spots lateral to and behind the gill. The anterior edge of the head is yellow or orange.
This species has an interesting hump of keel dorso-medially behind the gill with I will speculate is used in swimming, which it does readily when irritated. Like many species of Tambja it feeds on bryozoans.
The species has been recorded from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia and Papua New Guinea. Specimens measure up to a huge 130 mm in length.
For those of you interested in having a copy of the paper, it can be downloaded as a pdf file .
Congratulations to Jim. He certainly deserves the recognition.
Gig Harbor, Washington
March, 2006
WEBMASTER'S NOTES: Jim is currently diving in the Philippines, but I'm certain a note in his email box would make a nice welcome back home salutation!
Jim Black in cockpit
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Jim is currently on medical leave with US Airways after 27 years as a pilot..., flying Captain on an Airbus 330 Internationally. Diving since 1970...with over 5200 dives logged. Shoots Nikon F4s in housing and Nikonos RS. Jim's photography has been featured in a number of books and publications including Helmut Debelius' Nudibranchs and Sea Snails of Gosliner, Behrens and Williams Coral Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific. A photo of Jim petting a shark in "Sleeping Shark Caves" off Isla Mujeres Island, Mexico, taken by Amy Foster his significant other, recently appeared in Dave Behrens' Diving Guide to Cozumel, Cancun & The Riviera Maja. Send Jim email at jim.black1@comcast.net |
March 2005
Ali Hermosillo and Dave Behrens
Author:
Pacific Coast Nudibranchs
Send Dave mail at dave@seachallengers.com
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