Nudibranch ID Help - From California

[Chevayea]

Here's a bunch that have been sent to me from California dive trips, mostly Monterey and the Channel Islands. I have no Idea here so I'm posting 'em to see if you can help me name the little buggers...

1. From Point Lobos, Monterey



2. Channel Islands, California


3. Channel Islands, California



Thanks again!

[Dusty2]

1,2 4 and 5 are opalesents, Hermissenda crassicornis but the middle guy is a mystery to me.

[enchantmentdivi]

The third pic is Hilton's Aeolind a.k.a. Phidiana Hiltoni

[Chevayea]

Sweet, thanks!...I didn't know that opalescents could have that much orange to them. It seems like most of the ones around here are much more palid, like this:

[enchantmentdivi]

Yeah, the opalescents in the Channel Islands were much more colorful. Geeeeeeeeeeeorgeous!

[dwashbur]

The opalescents in Monterey are the same way. Maybe it's a California thing, all that sunshine and the nudis all get so tan, or something

The Hilton's is one of the more gorgeous ones they have down there. Lots of those in the Monterey area, too.

[Chenari]

Yeah the Hiltons aren't actually that common (at least in Monterey area) So they, along with the Hopkins Rose, became my personal favorites because of the beautiful colorings. Great finds. ^_^

[dphershman]

Northern Hermissenda crassicornis have a silver stripe running down their cerata, whereas the southern variety has solid orange cerata with white tips. The southern variety also has a more intense blue margin on its body. The boundary range of the northern variety is roughly Monterey Bay, where both colorations can be found


Northern (Alaska)



Southern (Channel Islands)