Tambja olivaria from Bali, Indonesia

October 7, 2008
From: Paul Osmond


Hi Bill,

I have looked across the site and all my ID books and I can't seem to find this one. Tentatively I have called this a Tambja sp. on my website but only because it reminds me somewhat of Tambja olivaria in shape and patterns.

This largish nudibranch was moving across the dark soil in Tulamben Bay in Bali, Indonesia. One great macro site and full of nudibranchs in the rich soil bottom.

Locality: Tulamben Slopes, 10 m, Bali, Indonesia, 20 January 2007, Muck diving, rich soil. Length: 55 mm. Photographer: Paul T. Osmond.

You can see a little reddish friend of his (Flabellina sp.?) in some of these images. Neither showed any interest in the other as they passed by.

Yours,
Paul
www.deepseaimages.com

marriard@deepseaimages.com

Osmond, P.T., 2008 (Oct 7) Tambja olivaria from Bali, Indonesia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20339

Dear Paul,

I am pretty sure this is Tambja olivaria. The main difference from typical T. olivaria is that the background colour is bluish rather than greenish, but if you look at the arrangement of the longitudinal lines, and colour of the rhinophores and gills, it matches very well. The whole animal has a 'washed out' colour look so its possible the colour is partly dependent on pigments derived from its food - or perhaps its just a pale individual.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Oct 7). Comment on Tambja olivaria from Bali, Indonesia by Paul Osmond. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20339

Factsheet

Tambja olivaria

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