Merry has a Masters degree in Science from ASU. Having a scientist for a dive buddy can be challenging. Yesterday she found a nudibranch that we have yet to identify. Today she found a flatworm that may be Cryptobiceros bajae but can be difficult to I.D. as they are a mimic species. Sometimes they look different than the one Merry found. I often have a lot of homework to do after diving with her. Why can't she find a starfish or garibaldi?

Aside from the flatworm the dive at Golf Ball Reef was uneventful. Fifteen feet visibility with 53° water and the usual critters were out and about. Berthella californica were laying eggs everywhere. Mating pairs of Doriopsilla albopunctata dotted many rocks. I tried to get a rainbow sea perch to hold still but it refused.

Cryptobiceros bajae

Seastarus saturdaynightfeveri

Doriopsilla albopunctata

Diaulula sandiegensis

Rainbow sea perch, Hypsurus caryi

Onespot fringehead, Neoclinus uninotatus

Swell shark egg case

Berthella californica eggs

• Funny! Deb Karimoto 09:47:11 07/06/15 (0)