Photo by Cindy Halliday
Two ghost nudibranchs mating. Photo by Guido Zsilavecz
This nudibranch is a small member of the Polyceridae, reaching only about 15 mm. It can easily be recognized by its white semi-translucent appearance. Found on reefs from close inshore to deeper reefs further offshore, it is often overlooked because of its small size. The white colour makes it hard to photograph, as it is easy to over-expose the animal, as the camera tries to light up the darker reef around it.
It is interesting that this species is often seen mating, yet I cannot recall ever having seen any of their egg cases, and Gosliner does not describe them either. Nudibranchs are hermaphroditic, and both animals exchange sperm at the same time. They are not capable of self-fertilisation.
Nudibranchs of Southern Africa - a guide to the opisthobranch molluscs of southern Africa, T Gosliner, 1987.