Nifty Nudies Now... What's Up?

[drbill]

The past two weekends I've had dive friends over on the island and we've dived the Casino Point dive park here on Catalina. Both weekends we encountered usually rare nudies in the park.

Last weekend Ken Kopp (Mo2vation) and Claudette Dorsey (HBDiveGirl) located a California chromadorid (Hypselodoris californiensis) and gave me directions so I could locate and film it. I've onbly seen one five times here on the island. Here's a collage of stills captured from my HDV video footage (left) and images by Ken (right):

Then this weekend I was diving with Matt and Nadja Brandt and ran across a Mulliner's dorid (Peltodoris mullineri) in the park:

In June I also saw my first Dendronotus iris nudibranch in Catalina waters (image in the lower left courtesy of Phil Garner, MaxBottomTime):

Scott Gietler reported seeing FIFTEEN Peltodoris mullineri at the West End this weekend. That's more than I've seen in my lifetime of diving.

WHAT is going on? Is it global warming bringing these generally more southerly nudibranchs into our waters? Have other divers been seeing unusual branchs either in Catalina waters or off the mainland coast???

 

[Beachlover]

Damn,Dr.Bill, I thought that you meant you saw nudes, as in women! Don't get me wrong, your pictures are of centerfold quality! By the way, have you ever seen any nude mermaids?

 

[robint]

Woo Hoooo! Awesome nudies! I can't wait.....

 

[drbill]

Damn,Dr.Bill, I thought that you meant you saw nudes, as in women! Don't get me wrong, your pictures are of centerfold quality! By the way, have you ever seen any nude mermaids?

Of course I've seen nude mermaids... most of them doing their 100th dive in the "obligatory" fashion. However, I promised I wouldn't bring my camera on those dives!

 

[paradicio]

Very cool, I've only ever seen one Nudi in the park (a Spanish Shawl). Can't wait to get back out there!

 

[Ca_Ghost]

AWesome pictures. What were the depths you saw the nudis? I haven't seen any yet but by the look of the pictures I can not wait.

 

[Mo2vation]

I've seen the Mulliner's dorid in SD a number of times - never seen one in the park

Great find.

I'll be back there in a couple of weeks - can't wait to see what we'll find next (another Janolus on the V?)


---
Ken

 

[drbill]

Have been hearing from divers on other boards I participate on that they have been seeing Mulliner's dorid out off the West End of the island. I think it was Mike Bartick who said he saw about 100 of them there. Kevin Lee and Scott Gietler were on the same trip and saw them. Strange thing is that the ones they imaged there have black rhinophores and gills whereas all the ones I've seen have rhinos and gills the same color as the body. Hmmm???

The Hypselodoris was at about 85 ft, the Dendronotus at about 125 if I remember correctly and the Peltodoris at about 30-35.

 

[ScubaSam]

Gorgeous pictures.

Thank you for sharing, Dr. Bill. And I knew what you meant by nudies...not bad considering I'm a newbie.