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Goniodoris joubini
Image courtesy of Jim BlackLembeh, Indonesia
Est Size7 mm
Parasite not identified in the gill area of Goniodoris joubini
 | Goniodoris joubini Risbec, 1928 Dave Behrens is out on a well deserved vacation, so yours truly is filling in! This week's subject comes by way of a veteran underwater photographer and long time Slug Site contributor, Jim Black Jim has the uncanny nack for capturing the essence of the sea slug family in the sub 10mm range which is a challenge for us all! To quote Jim on this topic "... Supermacro magnification of small subjects is a conundrum in itself, leaving me constantly arguing with myself at length over the approach and method. Do I use the maximum magnification my lenses give me forsaking depth of field or do I back off a bit and shoot the animal in complete focus risking the tiny subject being lost in the frame?..." Jim recently acquired a Nikon D-800 and was able to put it to good use during a recent trip to the Philippines and Lembeh Straits despite technical problems with his housing! Our subject for this week is Goniodoris joubini(courtesy of Bill Rudman's Sea Slug Forum) which Jim photographed in the Lembeh Straits! Upon receipt of the image I knew that this guy wasn't a newcomer to me but I just couldn't remember where and when (sound familiar folks?). I succumbed to laziness or ineptitude or a combination of both and gave up quick. A severe case of viral conjunctivitis in both eyes didn't help matters! Any excuse will do at this point. Consulting the Oracle (Nudibranch Central) at California Academy of Sciences proved to be a life savor! The response was quick in response with comment on the parasite seen on G. joubini (enlarged photo to left}! The key to a preliminary ID in the field. would seem to be the "... broad translucent band around the mantle edge which is sometimes spotted with yellow and dark brown...". (Bill Rudmans's Sea Slug Forum). The Reader is invited to visit Bill's Forum and review the taxonomy of G. joubini , certainly makes for interesting reading! Among the postings is one from Scott Johnson depicting G. joubini and its egg mass Until next week! |
San Diego, CA 92113
Aug., 2015
Send Mike email at mdmiller@cts.com
Jim on location at Anilao, Philippines, May 2013
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Jim Black is retired from US Airways after 27 years as a pilot..., flying Captain on an Airbus 330 Internationally. Diving since 1970...with over 7000 dives logged. Shoots Nikon D-300 in Subal Housing with Ikelite strobes. Macro Mate on 105mm for supermacro. Jim's photography has been featured in a number of books and publications including Helmut Debelius' Nudibranchs and Sea Snails of Gosliner, Behrens and Williams Coral Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific. A photo of Jim petting a shark in "Sleeping Shark Caves" off Isla Mujeres Island, Mexico, taken by Amy Foster his significant other, recently appeared in Dave Behrens' Diving Guide to Cozumel, Cancun & The Riviera Maja.
Jim has been a solid supporter of the Slug Site since day one. His countless contributions put him near the top of the list of photographers who have greatly expanded our knowledge of sea slugs. There are a lot of kids in the formative stage of their education who are getting their first introduction to our sea slug friends via the great photographs Jim and other contributors have made to the site. My hat is off to Jim for making this presentation possible!
Send Jim email at jim.black14@verizon.net
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