Melibe digitata Gosliner & V. Smith, 2003

Species of the genus Melibe are quite diverse in shape and color, but some of the similar looking species can be really hard to decipher. Our webmaster thought Dave had found one of the rarer species, Melibe bucephala Bergh, 1902, last year at our Nudibranch Festival in Aniloa, but it turns about to be M. digitata.

Both of these species have digitate papillae at the ends of the cerata, but the rhinophores and body surface are markedly different. M. bucephala's rhinophores are short and have a wide wing-like posterior end, while M. digitata's rhinophores have a long smooth shaft and a short terminal clavus. Their body also lacks low tubercles.

Other excellent photos appear on Jim Anderson's nudibranch.org site , and also on Bill Rudman's site

One must really look close at these guys to distinguish them. We will be doing just that March 1-10, 2018 at the Crystal Blue Resort in Anilao, Philippines. We still have a few openings for this year's Nudibranch Festival . Come join us. Contact me or Mike Bartick, at saltwaterphoto@live.com, for details.

Dave Cowdery is a retired biomedical engineer and Divemaster at Byron Bay Australia. He has over 5000 logged dives. He is a keen participant in trips organized by Graham Abbott at Diving4Images and has dived the tropics extensively from Cocos Keeling Islands east to Niue. 3 Camera equipment used: D800 with DS160 substrobes

Send Dave mail at divec@ozemail.com.au