7/19 Maui pics

[Gilligan]

Nudibranch (unidentified)
Anyone know the name of it?
There were about a dozen or so of them in one area of the sand.

Leaf Scorpionfish

Leaf Scorpionfish

Trumpetfish

Red Reef Lobster

Green Lionfish

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Very cool pictures, can't help on the ID though. I've never even seen a nudi while on my dives

 

[DennisW]

Oooh, pretty. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

Great shots as always, but I have no idea on the ID of that nudi.

 

[calypsonick]

Jim, sweet shots!! The clarity and lighting is phenomenal. We have some slugs here that look like that top one and have IDed them as Philinopsis cyanea.

 

[Jamdiver]

Great shots Gilligan...... Ahhh nothing like warm water diving .

 

[parabolic]

Nice photos Gilligan. I think the nudibranch is Philinopsis cyanea.

 

[Gilligan]

Thanks calysonick and parabolic for your ID on the specimen.

According to John Hoover, whom I E Mailed, it is a Blue Headed Slug (Philinopsis speciosa) which is at the top of page 149 in his book (1998 edition). That photo looks nothing like the one I took but John stated the color of this slug varies quite a bit.

I did a Google search of Philinopsis speciosa and the one on this site looks exactly like my photo. Low and behold that photo was taken by none other than Tortuga. He took that photo in the same area that I found them. Small planet.

Guess I should have consulted with Mike (Tortuga) in the first place.

 

[Jcsgt]

Nice job, as always! I love that trumpetfish closeup.

 

[Larry C]

Looks like everyone is right-according to the Sea Slug Forum
"Note added 4 Feb 2006: Philinopsis cyanea is almost certainly a synonym of the earlier Philinopsis speciosa Pease, 1860. See that Fact Sheet for a fuller discussion."