We saw a couple of noteworthy nudibranch (or if you prefer, sea slug) events on our recent trip. Kawaihae Harbor of course.
I’m far from alone in my fascination with nudibranchs—the web is full of nudi fanciers. A lot of it is the phantasmagoria of colors and color schemes, but to me it’s also the hostile, alien environment these little slugs inhabit. They go about their colorful, sluggish business in a world full of stinging hydroids and poisonous sponges (both of which the nudibranchs eat), noxious bristle-worms, and sundry other unlikely creatures. Someone please pass the mushrooms…wait, no need.
Almost forgot about this one. Back in August I was snorkeling with Hai inside the harbor at Kawaihae and ran into this gorgeous, largish nudibranch prowling the reef just a couple of feet below the surface. I don’t know if it has a common name, but the scientific name is Goniobranchus albopunctatus. According to seaslugsofhawaii.com, this diurnal species reaches three inches in length—this specimen was about two inches. The white circles are distinctive. White Cheerios descending into a bowl of red milk.