Jorunna ramicola

Image courtesy of Deb Aston
Est size 35 mm
South Wall, Gold Coast Seaway, Queensland, Australia
Gold Coast Seaway,


Jorunna ramicola off the sponge

Jorunna ramicola M. C. Miller, 1996

I know exactly what the reader is thinking after opening the BOW page for this week! What a letdown in terms of photogenic beauty that was featured in last week's BOW. Give me a break, an apparently non-descript sponge! Without the presence of the egg masses I suspect that even yours truly would have swam right on by none the wiser concerning the story unfolding here!

We have at our disposal the opportunity to examine one of the classic defense mechanisms of sea slugs, that of being cryptic or blending in so well with the surrounding fauna or food source as we have here that predators would be predisposed to pass right on by (as most divers probably would also).

Closer perusal of the spong image reveals at least one Jorunna ramicola at the base of the sponge. But, are there others on the sponge? Take a close look and when you give up, take a look at this image where Deb has indicated their presence.

The Webmaster would again like to thank Deb and Ted Aston from down under for making this presentation possible! Without their keen eyes, it never would have happened1

Michael Miller
San Diego, CA 92113
May, 2014
Send Mike email at mdmiller@cts.com



Deb Aston on location

I have been a recreational scuba diver since 1983 and together with my husband Ted and dive Buddy Audrey, enjoy many hours underwater. I guess you can call me a dive addict, as I will dive anywhere anytime, and prefer the smaller critters to be found in the marine underworld. It is rare to find me without a camera and still happy to say I see something new on nearly every dive. Our home base dive site is the Gold Coast Seaway, the only shore dive in SE Qld, and an amazing place it is. Since 1 July 2011 I have surveyed the Gold Coast Seaway for sea slugs, to date I have recorded 134 species with many of them first time records for Queensland and some for Australia. Unfortunately the local council wants to build a cruise ship terminal in the seaway and the dredging required will destroy this area as a divesite and nursery area, the fight is on!! More info can be found at http://www.saveourspit.com/

For dives offshore we use our small rigid inflatable boat called 'Duck Diver'. 'Duck Diver' has travelled as far north as Bargara to dive Cochrane Artificial Reef, Qld and south to Jervis Bay, NSW and lots of great places in between. We prefer to explore Australian waters rather than short trips overseas and love the shore diving in South Australia and Mornington Peninsula.

Deb Aston can be contacted on dtaston@bigpond.net.au or www.astonunderwaterimages.com

Send Deb email at dtaston@bigpond.net.au



From left to right, Terry Gosliner, Angel Valdes, Dave Behrens La Jolla, Calif.

Send Dave email at davidwbehrens@gmail.com

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