The Splendid One

Most sea slugs do not have common names and the fact that we call them nudibranchs is a nice way to divorce ourselves from the idea of their not so pretty, slimy green garden cousins.

If this little critter had a common name it might be the Splendid Nudibranch but in the literature it is just known as Goniobranchus splendidus.

This species of nudibranch was the very first I saw dropping beneath the water on our Fly Point night dive at Nelson Bay. We saw many of them in the first 2-4m of water so it seems in this location they like the shallows more than deeper water.

It's always exciting meeting a new critter on a dive but at the same time there is a sense of detachment not knowing anything about it, not even its name. For me creating an image and then later taking the time to learn a little more about its name, its habitat and its behaviors is just as rewarding as the dive itself.

Thank you Splendid One for posing for me and teaching me a little more about your world.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'The Splendid One', 1/100s f/22 ISO400 100mm