This BOW begins with a chance encounter with Gordon Tillen in Bali,Indonesia last month. During the course of our conversation, Gordon showed me a couple pics of Miamira alleni that he had taken at Triton Bay some time ago! After looking at them I decided in view of their stunning beauty, how could we not revisit the renowned sea slug named after my long time diving buddy Jerry Allen! The story begins back in March 1993 when Dr. Terry Gosliner, Jerry and myself were diving at Dakak Resort,Dapitan northern Mindanao in March 1993. The finding took place during a drift dive that we did not plan on but were nevertheless caught up in as soon as we hit the water. We were immediately separated with Terry and I ending up on a beach some distance from point of entry.

Jerry the smart one, decided to drop down out of the current with the intent of photographing a couple of mandarin fish frolicking in the coral! Jerry set up on the mandarin fish and while waiting for the optimal shot, he saw a what looked like a "soft coral" moving in his field of view. Jerry took a couple of pics and bagged the "unknown" for Terry's thoughts on this strange "sea slug".

When Jerry showed Terry his find, Terry eyes lite up like a neon sign thus negating my intent to ask if Jerry's find was "new". Terry's eyes told the whole story and the rest is history!

Gordon's images portray a definite color variation of Miamira alleni seen thus far in recorded images!

References:

BOW 20
BOW 458

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