nkw5
Contributor
What is this?! Found in big area of sand at Breakwater, Monterey, CA around 20 feet.
I can't even begin to guess
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Hard to tell from the image, but possibly a lion nudibranch (Melibe leonina) if that is the oral hood
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nkw5
Contributor
Your pics are lots better than mine (which I guess goes without saying), but I believe you have ID'd my mystery creature. Thanks, Dr. Bill! Several others have confirmed your call as well.
They are a truly interesting species of 'branch. I remember years ago when I was collecting drift kelp with my biology students. We pulled up a large mass of drift kelp onto our boat and there were literally thousands of these 'branchs, many in mating mode. I had never seen one before and I sent a description to my Harvard mentor saying the looked like a Hoover vacuum cleaner with wings. He wrote back the following week with the proper identification.
As for the photos, I can claim credit only for the top two. The bottom two were taken by Steve Murvine down in San Diego where they are far more commonly seen.
As for the photos, I can claim credit only for the top two. The bottom two were taken by Steve Murvine down in San Diego where they are far more commonly seen.
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