Nudibranch? from southern California

April 27, 2006
From: Lauri Hamilton


Daisy (my cocker spaniel) spotted this Nudibranch on our morning walk in Los Angeles Harbor. Are they indigenous to sthn California or are they hitchhikers from the tankers?

Locality: Los Angeles Harbor, 3 feet, CA, Pacific, 19 April 2006, Inner Harbor rocks at low tide. Length: 6". Photographer: Lauri Hamilton.

P.S. Daisy also spotted a rock fish, not an small feat. She loves fish.

Lauri

lauri.hamilton@ebfin..com

Hamilton, L., 2006 (Apr 27) Nudibranch? from southern California. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16405

Hi Lauri,
Great comparison to cute Daisy.  Floating docks are one of my favorite collecting spots.  Great Branch habitat and you can stay dry and warm.  I also find that by hanging my underwater camera upside down I can get some fairly good shots.  Seems like you have this mastered from the surface all ready, however.  Good show.

Your critter is one of the largest dendronotids on this coast, Dendronotus iris. This species, varies in color as you can see from earlier postings, but the key identifying character is the white stripe along the edge of the foot.

Your critter at 6 inches is pretty standard.  This species feeds on tube anemones.  Kind of hard to imagine them on a dock however.  Maybe on the bottom below.

Best wishes,
Dave Behrens

Behrens, D.W., 2006 (Apr 27). Comment on Nudibranch? from southern California by Lauri Hamilton. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16405

Factsheet

Dendronotus iris

Related messages

  1. Dirona albolineata eggs?
    From: Jackie Hildering, August 6, 2007
  2. Dendronotus iris eggs?
    From: Jackie Hildering & Glen Miller, July 7, 2007
  3. Dendronotus iris from La Jolla, California
    From: Regina McLendon, June 10, 2006
  4. Dendronotus iris feeding behaviour
    From: Dave Behrens, May 19, 2006
  5. Dendronotus iris feeding behaviour
    From: Phil Garner, May 19, 2006
  6. Colour forms of Dendronotus iris
    From: Stephanie Truhlar, May 18, 2006
  7. Re: Dendronotus nanus rediscovered in California
    From: Phil Garner, May 18, 2006
  8. Dendronotus nanus rediscovered in California
    From: Mark Chapman, August 11, 2005
  9. Dendronotus nanus is variant of D. iris [1]
    From: Ron Velarde, August 11, 2005
  10. Dendronotus nanus is variant of D. iris [2]
    From: Dave Behrens, August 11, 2005
  11. Giant nudibranch attack from British Columbia
    From: Marli Wakeling, June 29, 2005
  12. Dendronotus iris in Monterey, CA
    From: Sami Laine, February 9, 2003
  13. Re: Swimming Nudibranchs
    From: Marli Wakeling, November 4, 2002
  14. Swimming nudibranchs
    From: Peter & Kristen , November 2, 2002
  15. Dendronotus iris - feeding movies
    From: Clinton Bauder, September 6, 2001
  16. Dendronotus iris from Monterey, California
    From: Clinton Bauder , June 6, 2001
  17. Dendronotus iris question
    From: Ray Izumi, December 19, 2000

Show factsheet and all related messages