uw spectacular discodoris nudibranch @ cyrene

uw spectacular discodoris nudibranch @ cyrene from BeachBum on Vimeo.

Came across this lovely Discodoris boholiensis at Cyrene in a seagrass (Halodule uninervis and Enhalus Acoroides)patch. It's striking pattern was an eye catcher.

It was moving slowly through the seagrass patch and curled it's way around each blade.
See http://www.seaslugforum.net/display.cfm?id=7223 for more pictures.
and also http://www.nudipixel.net/species/discodoris_boholiensis/

This specimen was about 4 cm long and was found in a 30cm deep water pool.
More about Cyrene : http://www.wildsingapore.com/places/cyrene.htm

nudibranch ~ up close and personal! @ cyrene reef, singapore!

Nudibranch ~ up very close and very personal @ Cyrene Reef, Singapore from BeachBum on Vimeo.

This is a large video so do wait for it to stream fully before viewing!
Click on the Vimeo link for better (HD) quality viewing.

According to http://wildfilms.blogspot.com/2008/07/cyrene-walk-with-ura.html, it could be "some sort of Dendrodoris, possibly Dendrodoris tuberculosa, see entry on Dr Bill Rudman's Sea slug forum." There seems to be great potential for colour variation in this species.

See also http://wildfilms.blogspot.com/2008/04/earth-day-with-echinoderms-at-pulau.html for what could be a different colour variation of this species.

The specimen in the video was about 5 inches long and found in a sandy area on Cyrene Reef off the West Coast of Singapore in an area surrounded by a container port and petrochemical hub. (More on Cyrene here : http://www.wildsingapore.com/places/cyrene.htm)

More links on Nudibranchs :-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nudibranch
http://www.seaslugforum.net/
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/06/nudibranchs/holland-text - a recent National Geographic article on Nudibranchs
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/06/nudibranchs/doubilet-photography - more superb u/w photos!
http://slugsite.tierranet.com/
http://www.sio.ucsd.edu/voyager/nudibranch/
http://www.accessexcellence.com/BF/bf07/gosliner/index.php - about the evolution of colours in sea slugs