Asteronotus cespitosus from North Queensland, Australia

April 9, 2007
From: Paul Osmond


This big nudibranch of about 20 cm was moving across the bottom of a coral reef head at night on a coral reef in the Wheeler Reef system off of Townsville in Queensland, Australia. I believe this is Asteronotus cespitosus.

Locality: Wheeler Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Townsville, 20m, Queensland, Australia, Pacific, 31 December 2006, Coral reef head, sandy bottom. Length: 200mm. Photographer: Paul T. Osmond.

Had the macro lens on, so took a few shots of the individual parts of the animal.

Yours,
Paul
www.deepseaimages.com

marriard@deepseaimages.com

Osmond, P.T., 2007 (Apr 9) Asteronotus cespitosus from North Queensland, Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19698

Dear Paul,
Thnaks for these photos. Although it is not as brightly coloured as many nudibranchs, there is beauty in the detail. I don't think it deserves the derogatory words said about it by early naturalists [see Fact Sheet] - it has never reminded me of a 'horrid disease' or seemed particularly 'foetid'

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Apr 9). Comment on Asteronotus cespitosus from North Queensland, Australia by Paul Osmond. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19698

Factsheet

Asteronotus cespitosus

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