 |
Okenia liklik
Image courtesy of Brian MayesTulamben, Bali, Indonesia
The trivial name - liklik - refers to the small size of this species. "liklik is Papuan Pidgin for the word "small." When Brian sent me the photos for identification he even titled his e-mail "Tiny nudibranch from Tulamben." Previously recorded by Gosliner to occur only in Papua New Guinea and Luzon, Philippines, Brian's find extends the occurrence of this species to Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia. Okenia liklik has a distinctive purplish pink body color with orange, brown and opaque marking. Brian's specimen here suggests greater variation in color patterns than that described by Gosliner (2004). I note also that the original description the notal papillae were orange some tipped in chocolate brown (see photo on page 133 in Indo-Pacific Nudibranchs and Sea Slugs). . Note in Brian's photo, his papillae are white. This is a great addition to our knowledge of this not so common species.
Thanks Brian.
Citation
Phylogenetic Systematics of Okenia, Sakishimaia, Hopkinsiella and Hopkinsia (Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae) with Descriptions of New Species from the Tropical Indo-Pacific. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences Volume 55, No. 5, pp. 125–161. April 22, 2004 Gosliner, T.M. 2005
Gig Harbor, Washington
Oct., 2009
Brian Mayes
 |
Brian is a former finance director, who retired early to spend more time traveling and diving with his lovely wife Jill. He trained to dive in 1990 with the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) where he met and married Jill, his dive buddy and ace spotter. After a few years of dry suit diving in the cold seas around the British Isles, he decided that he had seen enough rusty scrap metal (or wrecks as they are commonly known) and started diving coral reefs. In warm tropical waters Brian soon discovered an interest in the brightly coloured marine life and wanted to find out more about the things he had seen. In 1993, Brian acquired his first underwater camera, a Nikonos V and began snapping away at anything that didn't move too fast, like nudibranchs and flatworms. Pretty soon Brian was hooked on underwater macro photography and he (well Jill actually) has discovered a few new species and range extensions. However, since no specimens were collected the fame and the glory has so far eluded him. Though Brian's not sure he could kill a few critters just to get his name on it. When digital cameras came along, Brian upgraded to a Nikon Coolpix 990 in Ikelite housing with Ikelite Pro Video-Lite, but he found that this large setup weighing 9Kg was too awkward and heavy. Brian now prefers to use small compact cameras and currently uses a Canon G9 with a couple of Inon macro close-up lens, but no external strobe, only the internal flash and diffuser. Brian's photos from recent dive trips can be seen here Send Brian email at brian.r.mayes@gmail.com |
|
