Cowled nudibranch at Justin's.
Photo Howard Steele
Three cowled nudibranchs from Coral Gardens.
A few cowled nudibranchs found in rock pools at Dale Brook, False Bay. Note the different colours - white, yellow and a somewhat hidden specimen in orange.
Coral Gardens and Dale Brook photos by Guido Zsilavecz
This nudibranch frustrated Guido Zsilavecz substantially while writing the Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula guide, as he simply could not find it often enough - a single sighting at Coral Gardens was initially it. References mentioned that it was common in the intertidal zone, but numerous dives in very shallow water did not reveal any. In desperation further dives were done at Coral Gardens, with great success, as the species was found to be moderately common at depths down to 18m. Searches at other sites, notably nearby Oudekraal, interestingly enough did not reveal any - but now Howard Steele spotted one at Justin's Caves, on the shoreward side.
The statement that this species is common in the intertidal zone is true, as looking in rock pools at Dale Brook revealed many under larger rocks, and in different colours to the pinkish red all deep-water specimens were seen in.
For more details on the cowled nudibranchs, see "Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay" and "A field guide to the Marine Animals of the Cape Peninsula", available directly from SURG or better Cape Town dive stores.
Nudibranchs of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay. G Zsilavecz, 2007
A field guide to the Marine Animals of the Cape Peninsula. G Jones, 2008
Nudibranchs of Southern Africa - a guide to the opisthobranch molluscs of southern Africa, T Gosliner, 1987.