Mathersons 13.12.09

[aquakiwi]

Simon and I had a pleasant dive here Sunday, probably my last dive for the year.






Not exactly fauna (or flora) but common here.

[Jason]

I don't often get to see Photographical Divers in action, so its good to see some of you guys with all your gear and equipment to give us other Divers a good picture.
As for the first two photos - what on earth is that and boy is it ugly

[aquakiwi]

First two photos are of a Black Tailed Sea Hare (Aplysia dactylomela) a large sea slug.

[Jason]

First two photos are of a Black Tailed Sea Hare (Aplysia dactylomela) a large sea slug.

Ahh yes, I remember now - cover of a DivePacific issue.
Obviously they are not like normal Slugs in that the 'salt' water doesn't shrivel em' up.

[justsimon]

And a couple from the same dive. I had a 60mm macro lens on so things look a little different.

A different Sea hare - Little sea hare (Aplysia parvula)


A gem nudi (Dendrodoris denisoni) blowing a raspberry at me cos I should have brought my wide angle rig


Pulling way back to try and get most of one of the Black tailed sea hares in.


It's interesting comparing the difference between the wide angle and the macro. Aquakiwi was almost touching the dome with his second sea hare shot and I was about half a meter away. I think it was the same animal.

[Jason]

I gather Nudis and Sea Hares are not of the same species (of Slug?)

[aquakiwi]

They are all Opisthobranchs bot sea hares have a residual shell on their backs.

[justsimon]

Also Sea hares are herbivores (these ones feed on red Algae I think). All nudibranchs are carnivores.

[alijtaylor]

I am glad someone asked the '"what is it?" question re the sea hare - amazing fellows. And the gem nudi is - a real gem!

Have a good Christmas.

Alison