 |
Chromodoris sp.
Image courtesy of Brian MayesOman
Wow, check this pair out. Outrageous! Spectacular!
This is only the second sighting of this rare species. However, maybe it is rare because so few people dive this area.
Now known from the United Arab Emirates and Oman, spotted species reaches about 30 mm in length. Carole Harris' photo in Indo-Pacific Nudibranchs and Sea Slugs. , page 227, doesn't have the large purple spots along the margin of the mantle that Brian's has. Her critter's mantle margin has smaller specks. The gills and rhinophores are white.
Sure would like to get some specimens of this species, so we can give it a proper name.
Thanks again Brian .
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 |
|
