A Compendium of Nudibranchs is a 210 page colour plate collection of the author’s images of nudibranchs and related molluscs from Australia and Indonesia. Individual species are identified with their scientific (binomial) names.
These diminutive jewells of the sea evoke a deep fascination for many divers. The sheer flamboyance of a brilliant palette stolen from the abstract impressionists; decorating surreal body shapes lifted from some of Salvador Dali’s wilder imaginings conspire to create fascinating and distinctive marine creatures.
There are no gender equality battles for these exotic and intricately patterned hermaphroditic molluscs. Although it does take two to tango, each are fully equipped with male and female apparatus.
Nudibranchs are reef browsers and lay their colourful egg strings on the substrate. Their lives are short, one year or less and they can grow to a range of body lengths from 4-400mm. Most species seen by divers are 7 cm or less.
The name comes from Latin and means 'naked gill.' A reference to the rosette of gills on their back used for respiration.
The images were mostly taken with digital SLR cameras, macro lenses and strobe lighting.
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