They’re Colorful, Delicate, and Come in Many Shapes and Sizes.
Nudibranchs are what slugs and snails dream of being someday. This one is slowly making its way across the reef looking for something soft to munch on – a sponge, perhaps. The silver feathery cluster on its back that looks a bit like a fancy tail is actually gills – which explains the name Nudibranch, meaning naked gills.
Like this one, most nudibranchs are small, only an inch or two long, and it can take an eagle eye to spot them on a reef. It also takes patience if you want to get a shot that represents motion. This is probably the closest thing to a nudibranch action shot you’ll see that doesn’t involve mating.
Nudibranchs can be found in most tropical and subtropical waters, but it’s been my experience that they’re easier to find on reefs in the South Pacific. My favorite place (so far) for nudi shooting (pun fully intended) is in Indonesia. Shot this one, and many others, while diving with the Wakatobi dive resort in southeast Sulawesi.
Location: Wakatobi, Sulawesi Indonesia
Camera: SeaLife DC2000 (discontinued)
Light: Camera’s built-in flash
