![]() Three-spot dorid. ![]() Two three-spot dorid. The top one of these two is the same as shown in the first image, although the photo was taken a week apart. ![]() Small-spot dorid. ![]() Another small-spot dorid. ![]() Warty dorid. All photos Guido Zsilavecz | Unusual nudibranchs from Oudekraal At the right corner of Justin's Caves at Oudekraal are a number of submerged steep-sided boulders on a bottom which quickly slopes down to 19 meters. On what could be considered the last rock forming Justin's, before a sandy bottom takes over, a number of unusual nudibranchs were found. Three-spot dorid (Aldisa trimaculata): one of these rare nudibranchs was seen recently, while on two dives one week apart, on the same rock face, two were seen, with the one individual seen on both weekends. They are well hidden, in the very inaccessible recess formed by a low overhang. Small-spot dorid (Discodoris sp.1.): This species has previously been seen in False Bay, and once at a dive site of the Hout Bay sentinel. These two were seen close to the three-spot nudibranchs, on the same rock face. Note the differing sizes of the spots, something which is quite variable with this species, which also makes it dificult to distinguish it from similar white, spotted, nudibranchs. What sets this species apart is that the notum (the back) is covered with tiny bumps, which are clearly visible on macro photos. Warty dorid nudibranch (Discorodis sp.1.): This dorid feeds on the crumb-of-bread sponge, which it resembles in colour. It is thus only rarely seen, and usually only when it moves on a different surface, in which case the bright yellow is quite conspicuous. While the eggs cases are regularly seen the nudibranch is not, and so far we have only seen it at the Hout Bay sentinel reefs and Coral Gardens. For more details on these dorids, see Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay, available directly from SURG or better Cape Town dive stores. |
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| References: Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. G. Zsilavecz, 2007 Nudibranchs of Southern Africa - a guide to the opisthobranch molluscs of southern Africa, T Gosliner, 1987. |
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