One of the most colorful aeolids anywhere in the world, it is also quite variable, making its identification problematic. Gordon's photos here show this variation.

Its body is translucent grey to orange or reddish-brown. The dorsum has white or yellow markings, variable in length, in some specimens forming long longitudinal lines. The head has two thick white lines running from the bases of the rhinophores to the bases of the oral tentacles. The rhinophores have reddish bases, each with a lighter, typically opaque white central region, and red apices. The oral tentacles are most commonly bluish white with yellow and blue pigment on their bases and bluish-purple apices. The cerata have red bases, blue pigment in their central regions and yellow to white apices.

Some believe this is the most common species of facelinid in the Indo-Pacific. It is found on relatively shallow reefs in 1-15 m of water and feeds on the hydroids Eudendrium sp. and Pennaria disticha.

My diving career started in the cold lakes of northern Wisconsin during summer camp in 1964. I have now logged over 3000 dives. My passion for this hobby/sport kicked into high gear around 2006 when I got my first underwater camera and went to Taveuni, Fiji. It was a Canon SD 550 point and shoot. Certainly limited for wide angle, but it took amazing pictures of Nudibranchs! It ignited an obsession for underwater photography and nudi hunting that has taken me to all the corners of the Coral Triangle.

I retired and moved to the Philippines in 2008 to avoid those long international flights and have been blessed to be here for the last 14 years. I chose the island of Negros Oriental for many reasons, but mostly for the easy access to great macro/critter photography. Also being the frogfish capital was the bonus round. And the 600 plus species of nudibranchs that call it home. Being in the center of the best diving on planet earth is a dream come true.

So, as they say " I'm living the life".

Send Gordon email at gtillen@mac.com