My first image of a nudibranch in 1968 impressed me enough to want to become an underwater explorer and discover and photograph all the Australian species of opisthobranchs.
Since those days I have travelled the Indo – Pacific searching and recording nudibranchs. My specimens were all donated to Australian Museums, hundreds proved to be new species, never before recorded, or photographed.
My first image of a nudibranch in 1968 launched me into a life of adventure and discovery. No one could ever have imagined ( let alone me) that this SWEET CERATOSOMA Ceratosoma amoena could have such a life – changing effect. Once I realized that photography could alter the way we all visualized marine life I could see that perhaps this was the way of the future.( photo: Neville Coleman)
The excitement of being able to discover life forms never seen in the world before really appealed to me and so for 40 years I have spent as much time as possible in the oceans of the world on a quest for new species.
Most of the marine invertebrate creatures that had been discovered and subsequently described in the past centuries (and were now part of the accumulated knowledge diseminated by scientists) were made from collecting specimens from the sea shores, or by dragging dredges over the ocean floor, scraping up the sea creatures from the bottom. Rock pools were also poisoned and these provided a host of species that were not noticed by the eye.
Of all the hundreds of new species I have discovered over the years this bizzare nudibranch has been the most incredible. The image has been published for over 4 years and a lot of underwater photographers and nudibranchers in general have endeavored to find another, as yet without success. However, sooner or later somebody is bound to find one. After all they have the image and the locality data to assist. Good hunting to all.
TETHYIDIDAE – COLEMANS MELIBE (50mm) Melibe sp. Mabul, Malaysia 08/2004. Originally discovered by the author. Transparent body with kite-like three tendril cerata and long oral hood tentacles. White line along the edge of the foot. C/R ( photo: Neville Coleman)
PERSONAL QUEST
After my first dive in 1963 I realied that there were thousands of creatures that scientific collecting methods might have missed and as a Scuba Diver I had the opportunity to search out these creatures and become the explorer I'd always wanted to be.
What appealed to me was the challenge of the search. To be able to visit the place of my worst nightmares and discover secrets no one else ever knew and bring them back to donate to an institution of learning ( museum) and therefore increase knowledge, gave me a fantastic " reason for being".
I had read all the great books about natural history expeditions and of all the historic naturalists and explorers, and how they discovered new lands and new peoples and new species and as much as I admired them I knew that my situation in life did not give me much of a chance to follow their footsteps on land. However, if I could just dream up enough courage there was a chance I might make my own "footsteps in the sea".
Endeavors of the past
I have no doubt that there are others since who have discovered more new species of opisthobranchs than I have, yet there are few who might lay claim to match my overall contributions in every field of Marine Life discovery and education.
It is my hope that by displaying these images it will encourage others to realize that although our institutions may be a little way behind in describing and publishing new species it does not mean we must stop finding them. All it requires is a tentative COMMON NAME and a published image and at least we have a reference to a living life form that can be wondered at and admired.
The knowledge of nature and all its diverse forms enriches our lives and hopefully provides an impetus for conservation of our seas, our shores and hopefully our selves.
Certainly, the quest of discovering new nudibranchs has taken me on a journey through life that I have never regretted and will continue as long as life grants me the time.
The Fun is in the Finding!
DISCODORIDIDAE – PATTERNED ATAGEMA (25mm) Atagema sp. Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. 05/2005. Discovered by the author. Pattern mimics food sponge. Found at 8m feeding on encrusted sponge under wood. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
DISCODORIDIDAE – INDENTED ATAGEMA ( 30mm) Atagema sp. Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. Originally discovered by the author. Appears undescribed. Strictly nocturnal it has a very characteristic indenntations with a distinctive median ridge. Definite enlarged pustule on the back. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
DISCODORIDIDAE – SPONGY ATAGEMA ( 15mm) Atagema sp. Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea 05/2004. Appears undescribed. Porous appearance. Black specks mimic those on the host sponge. Found at 22m on sponge. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
CHROMODORIDIDAE – YELLOW-EDGED CADLINA (20mm) Cadlina sp. Bruny Island, Tasmania, Australia. 02/1972. Originally discovered by the author. Translucent white body with yellow-pustuled mantle edge. Mauve rhinophores and gills. R/R. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
CALIPHYLLIDAE – BROWN CYERCE (13mm) Cyerce sp. Exmouth, Western Australia. 07/1972. Originally discovered by the author. Appears undescribed. Cerata appear club-like and granular. Low tide on inshore reef. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
CHROMODORIDIDAE – COLEMANS CERATOSOMA (80mm) Ceratosoma sp. Exmouth, Western Australia. 07/1972. Originally discovered by the author. Appears undescribed. Found at 4m on shore reef. Has no dorsal hump or horn. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
CHROMODORIDIDAE – COLEMANS CHROMODORIS (25mm) Bushy Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. 05/1972. Rudman, 1982. Originally discovered by the author. Found at 3m. Feeds on sponges. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
CHROMODORIDIDAE – ROBOS CHROMODORIS (50mm) Chromodoris roboi Exmouth, Western Australia. 08/1972. Gosliner & Behrens,1998. Originally discovered by the author. Found at 10m on reef. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
CHROMODORIDIDAE – HALOED CHROMODORIS (50mm) Chromodoris sp. Rottnest Island, Western Australia. 09/1971. Originally discovered by the author. White body with red – haloed spots and yellow elongated marks along the mantle edge. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
CHROMODORIDIDAE – RED-SADDLED CHROMODORIS (30mm) Chromodoris sp. Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. 03/1975. Originally discovered by the author. Appears identical to the southern Queensland form of C. splendita, but has black gills and rhinophores. Feeds on sponges. ( photo: Nevile Coleman)
CALIPHYLLIDAE – COLEMANS CYERCE (13mm) Cyerce sp. Exmouth, Western Australia. 07/1972. Appears to be undescribed. Cerata are autotomised at the slightest disturbance. Found at low tide on inshore reef. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
DENDRODORIDIDAE – SNAKY DENDRODORIS (20mm) Dendrodoris sp. Lord Howe Island, South Pacific. 10/1987. Originally discovered by the author. Appears undescribed. Found at 15m in holes in sponges. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
ARMINIDAE – COLLARED DERMATOBRANCHUS (25mm) Dermatobranchus sp. Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. 12/1981. Originally discovered by the author. Appears Aundescribed. Found at 10m on reef. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
ARMINIDAE – FINE-LINED DERMATOBRANCHUS ( 45mm) Dermatobranchus sp. Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. 11/1975. Originally discovered by the author. Feeds on spikey soft corals Dendronephthya sp. . Found at 30m. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
DISCODORIDIDAE – MAUVE JORUNNA ( 20mm) Jorunna sp. Clovelly N.S.W. Australia. 01/1977. Originally discovered by the author. Mauve body with sponge – like markings. Found at 10m on food sponges under a rock. R/R. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
DISCODORIDIDAE – BROWN-SPOTS DISCODORIS (40mm) Discodoris sp. Northern Great Barrier Reef. 12/1993. Originally discovered by the author. Grey body with scattered clumps of white papillae. Found a 10m on coral reef under dead coral. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
DISCOCORIDIDAE – SOUTHERN DISCODORIS ( 20mm) Discodoris sp. Clovelly, New South Wales, Australia. 01/1977. Originally discovered by the author. Translucent pustuled cream body buried in food sponge. Lays orange, direct -developing eggs. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
DISCODORIDIDAE – MILDEWED DISCODORIS (30mm) Discodoris sp. Dampier, Western Australia 11/1972. Originally discovered by the author. White body with black patches and specks. White gills and rhinophores. R/R. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
CHROMODORIDIDAE – SPADE-TOOTHED GLOSSODORIS ( 25mm) Glossodoris paladentata Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. 04/1981. Rudman, 1986. Originally discovered by the author. Found at 10m feeding on sponge. R/R. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
CHROMODORIDIDAE – COLEMANS NOUMEA (25mm) Noumea sp. Lord Howe Island, South Pacific 10/1987. Originally discovered by the author. Found at 20 m on reef. Feeds on sponges. R/R. (photo: Neville Coleman)
CHROMODORIDIDAE – STARRY GLOSSODORIS (50mm) Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. 12/1981. Rudman,1986. Originally discovered by the author. Found at 15m on reef. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
DISCODORIDIDAE – WHITE-MESHED HALGERDA Halgerda albocristata (20mm) Originally discovered by the author at 2mm under dead coral at Tryon Island. Great Barrier Reef, Australia.07/1969. Described by Gosliner $ Fahey, 1998.C/R.
( photo: Neville Coleman)
DISCODORIDIDAE – REEF HALGERDA (25mm) Halgerda maricola Exmouth, Western Australia 08/1972. Described by Fahey & Gosliner, 2001. Originally discovered by the author.White body with low yellow ridges and brown spots. R/R.( photo: Neville Coleman )
CHROMODORIDIDAE – WESTERN RISBECIA (25mm) Risbecia sp. Exmouth, Western Australia 07/1972. Originally discovered by the author. This specimen shows an affinity with specimens found in later years, but will need to be compared again at a later date when more specimens come to light. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
DISCODORIDIDAE – NORTHERN JORUNNA (30mm) Jorunna sp. Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. 11/1972. Appears undescribed. Originally discovered by the author. Found at low tide under dead coral. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
UPDATED
CALIPHYLLIDAE – RED-SPECKLED MOURGONA (20mm) Mourgona sp. Originally discovered by the author, at 3m on inshore Exmouth, Western Australia. 07/1972. It has now been described by a Japanese Taxonomist as Sohgenia paluensis Palau Sohgenia, Hamatani, 1991. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
DISCODORIDIDAE – MILNE BAY OTINODORIS ( 35mm) Otinodoris sp. Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea Ap. 2004. Appears undescribed. Yellow body with compound tubercules and numerous papillae. Found on reef under a stone. R/R. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
OXYNOIDAE – WESTERN OXYNOE (25mm) Oxynoe sp. Quobba, Western Australia. Originally discovered by the author. Lt on seaweed Caulerpa sp. Tail shows signs of regeneration. R/R. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
CHROMODORIDIDAE – WESTERN RISBECIA (60mm) Risbecia sp. Dampier, Western Australia. 11/1990. Appears undescribed. Red gills and rhinophores. Found at 5m on inshore reef. Trailing behaviour. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
VOLVATELLIDAE – GOLDEN VOLVATELLA (25mm) Volvatella sp. Norfolk Island, South Pacific. 11/1988. Appears undescribed. Found at night in seagrass meadows. ( photo: Neville Coleman)
AS SPECIES ARE DESCRIBED THEY WILL BE UPDATED ON THE SITE
SPECIES BEING ADDED AT REGULAR INTERVALS – LOTS MORE TO COME STAY TUNED!
Copyright Neville Coleman
