| diver.net |
Polycera atra nudibranchs
on Buglua, a bryozoan
white egg masses on the top of the Bugula
which is growimg on a California golden gorgonian
40 ft depth at White Rock, Santa Barbara Island, CA
Saturday April 3, 2004, 12:08 PM - 12:17 PM
| On
Saturday April 3, 2004 I was on the Sea
Divers trip to Santa Barbara Island aboard the Great
Escape. It was the fourth dive of the day and we were anchored in
about 35 feet of water approximately 100 yards North of the MPLA area
at a dive site know as White Rock. The visibility was only about 20 feet,
and the water was a bit green. The water temperature was about 56°F.
It was also quite a bit of surge and many particulates in the water. As I swam along I first noticed a golden gorgonian with what appeared to be a plant growing on it, but turned out to be the Bugula bryzoan. I thought this was unusual so I moved in for a closer look. Getting closer I noticed the white egg masses on the Bugula, and then moving closer I noticed the Ploycera atra nudibranchs, a species I had never personally observed. Bugula on the gorgonian and the nudibranchs appeared very unique to me so I took the follow series of photos (which are in chronological order). I made the dive with my camera, which consists of an Olympus D-40z in an Olympus PT-012 housing, two INON D-180 strobes, an INON UWL-100 wide-angle lens, and a ULCS tray and arm system. Unfortunately I did not bring my macro lens with me on this dive. Thus the closer in shots were made with the camera sans WAL. Upon returning from the trip I looked through my library of California sea life books, but I was unable to locate this particular species. After some inquiries Alan Grant (the diving dentist), an amateur nudibranch aficionado, was able to identify the Polycera atra and the Bugula bryzoan for me. Once I knew the species name I found it in Intertidal Invertebrates of California (p. 330), however the coloring in the photo (p. P106) looks very different from the ones I photographed. That is why I think I did not see it when I went through the book initially. Many thanks to Alan Grant for the identification help. |
© Chris Grossman , diver.net, all rights reserved