Photos / Sounds

What

Feather Aeolid (Fiona pinnata)

Observer

veltkamp

Date

August 26, 2024 07:20 PM PDT

Description

While free diving near the Port Orford jetty, I found these aeolids on a piece of free-floating Fucus algae that was resting in a bed of bull kelp. The algae was covered in bryozoans, hydroids, and gooseneck barnacles, so I examined it for nudibranchs because the day prior, I had learned about the existence of pelagic Fiona aeolids. Sure enough, I found several. I had no way to photograph them, so I grabbed the entire piece of algae, brought it to shore, filled my water bottle with sea water, and placed the algae in the bottle. I took the bottle home for photography and examination under a scope, but sadly the feather aeolids did not survive the journey :( I’m guessing they suffocated or overheated during the time I was collecting sea water. In total there were 5 or 6 of these nudibranchs on the algae, as well as roughly 15 Branched Dendronotids, which survived just fine.

Photos / Sounds

What

Hopkins' Rose Nudibranch (Ceratodoris rosacea)

Observer

kvby

Date

February 9, 2024 05:00 PM PST