Home Acknowledgments Conventions Glossary Maps References Links Articles Thumbnails Species list Family Next species _______________   Additional Photos   side   rhinophores   spots   feeding   predation?   pre-mating   on egg mass	Flabellina exoptata Gosliner & Willan, 1991   Maximum Size:  17 mm. Identification:  The body of this species is translucent violet but the red-orange color of the gonad may give it an orange hue. The cerata are translucent basally with deep purple bands at the midpoint and white apexes. The white pigment often shades to blue at their tips. In some animals, there may be rows of minute dark spots in their digestive gland branches. (Note 1) The rhinophores are deep orange with densely packed papillae on their posterior margins. Natural History:  Although apparently rare on the other islands, Flabellina exoptata appears to be moderately common on Oahu in moderately exposed to highly exposed rocky habitats. Most animals have been seen under shaded overhangs at depths of 6-24 m (20-80 ft). It lays a pink, "kinked" egg mass (usually wrapping it around the stalk of its food hydroid). Distribution:  Big Island, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau: widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific. Taxonomic notes:  It was first recorded in Hawaii off Pearl Harbor, Oahu by Scott Johnson on Jan. 6, 1977. The name means "much desired," in reference to the beauty of this species. It's referred to as the "desirable nudibranch" in Hoover, 2006 and illustrated under Caloria indica in Hoover, 1998. It was deleted in the 5th printing of Hoover, 2006 but restored in the 2019 printing). Some sources use Coryphellina exoptata. Photo:  PF: 17 mm: found by John Hoover; Lanai Lookout, Oahu; June 12, 1999. Observations and comments: Note 1:  Perhaps, the presence of dark spots in the digestive gland branches (in some animals) indicates limited retention of zooxanthellae? Or, retention of some other component or their food? Or, colonization by a microbe? Thumbnails Species list Family Next species Top