nudibranch capital of the world
Anilao is without a doubt, the undisputed Nudibranch capital of the world. In 2016 the first nudibranch workshop was held at the resort with Dave Behrens, Jim Anderson, Michael Miller and Kevin Lee as special guests, names synonymous with the nudibranch community worldwide. Dave whom is also an educator and author (and a heck of a nice guy) held daily seminars on the natural history of nudibranchs while I encouraged the group to try to shoot them artistically.
Two workshops with over 30 divers between the two found an impressive 595 species altogether in just 18 dive days. So many subjects infact that we decided to build a book based on the event, now selling on iBooks and Amazon.
The most surprising thing for me that occurred during the workshop's was when Dave announced his bucket list subjects and called them "The Big Four". After hearing that, I knew we could find these guys with the help of our trusty guides and sure enough, we did. Below are images of the big four I shot last year with some descriptions I've added.
This year, May 20-30, 2017 the 2nd annual Nudibranch workshop with Dave Behrens and Jim Anderson will be held at CBR. Send me a note at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if interested in more on this.
Image 1- Kalinga ornata is a true a “lie and wait” predator that hides just below the sand with only the tips of their cerata exposed. Their prey (brittle stars) pass over them, unexpectedly alerting the ornata into action. The ornata suddenly emerges from the sand just behind them and quickly tracks them down snatching them up with quick vacuum action. And just as quickly as it emerged it once again burrows down beneath the sand to wait for its next victim.
Image 2- Limenendra bernosii- Is a deeper dwelling nocturnal nudibranch that seems a bit benign in coloration and nothing overly exciting. But once your light has alerted them of your presence they unfold and begin to move about, revealing their true neon colors.
The hunt for them is done in an exclusive manner with a dive plan that involves staying OFF the bottom and restricting fin kicks as they love silty bottoms.
Image 3-Miamira alleni is a recently renamed slug that resembles coral. Often times swam over or even looked past due to the extreme mimicry of its surroundings. The alleni can get huge and we often refer to them as “Battleships”. They tend to be a longer living slug and have been seen on habitats that range from algae bottoms to hard corals, walls and flat bottoms.
Image 4- Melibe colemani-This slug is truly one of nature's finest works. Resembling a ball of string, the developed muscle lines are opaque yet held together within a translucent tissue. Their mouth opens like a massive fishing net when they cast it over the sand or soft corals to feed and/or drag themselves forward.
In my salute to the super moon, I shot the M colemani with a colored torch in the background and used a snooted strobe up front. Snooting is a technique I teach in my workshops that is handy when your subject is in a confusing habitat and helps to create a little drama within the frame.
I Hope you enjoyed the read, please check back soon for more.
If interested in the Nudibranch workshop for 2017, please check our masters class of workshops for more information
