Platydoris ocellata

Image courtesy of Rob Van Der Loos
Samarai area ,Milne Bay, PNG
Sony HC1000 in a Amphibico Housing (Frame Grab)
Copyright 2010, Rob Van Der Loos

This week we are going to take a break from the name game and go with a species where the ID is pretty solid. Platydorids are one of my favorite groups. During the daytime they make themselves scrace under rocks and come out at night to forage for food. This week's subject Platydoris ocellata comes by way of Rob Van Der Loos who is skipper and owner of the Chertan in Milne Bay, PNG. Rob is a long time video shooter. Starting out with a Sony HC1000 in a Amphibico Housing and more recently graduating to a Panasonic HD Camcorder in a Gates Housing! As a part of this presentation, a short video of Platydoris ocellata that was taken with the Sony HC1000 is being made available for showing!

REFERENCE: K.M. Dorgan, A. Valdes and T.M. Gosliner. 2002. Phylogenetic systematics of the genus Platydoris (Mollusca, Nudibranchia, Doridoidea) with descriptions of six new species. Zoologica Scripta, 31: 271-319.

Rob Van Der Loos on location in PNG with friend

Rob has been with the Chertan for about 20 years! The Chertan is based out of Tawali Resort which Rob also has helped build and develop! Rob originally worked as a coffee buyer in the PNG highlands and lived in the Solomon Islands before that. As you regular readers know, many of John Greenamyer's great videos have come about as a result of going out with Rob on the Chertan. This coming November, Rob is running a series of "muck" trips in the Milne Bay area. Not sure if any slots are open at this time, but you may want to drop into the Chertan website and see what's available.

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