Pseudobiceros cf. murinus Newman & Cannon, 1997
photos: Cory Pittman, Ma`alaea Bay, Maui. 25-34 ft (Halimeda community); bottom photo: Paul Okumura

This worm closely resembles Pseudobiceros murinus on the Newman & Cannon CD, differing in three respects: the narrow orange marginal band is yellowish and less intense; the white spots between the pseudotentacles do not quite form a triangle; and the underside lacks opaque white spots. More photos of Hawaii specimens might clarify this.

The original 1997 color description for P. murinus reads: "Body transparent mottled grey-green with evenly spaced small black and white dots in irregular, scattered clusters dorsally; darker medially with red or brown tinge. Margin with a narrow yellow-orange band; extremely narrow, clear rim. White dots forming triangle between pseudotentacles, pseudotentacles with red tinge and white tips. Ventrally whitish grey with opaque white dots. Pseudotentacles long, pointed, ear-like and held erect. Cerebral eyespot with about 40 eyes in a clear area. Size range: ... 24 x 12 mm (mature)."

Distribution, according to CD, is Great Barrier Reef, Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, and Red Sea. Photos of a Guam specimen and one from Yap, both used on the CD, are posted online. Cory Pittman notes that the Hawaiian worm is smallish for a Pseudobiceros and fairly common in the Halimeda community in Ma`alaea Bay.

Paul Okumura found the worm at bottom in a tidepool in Kona, Hawaii.
Scott Johnson has photographed P. murinus at Kwajalein

BACK to mottled or speckled
BACK to mottled or speckled w marginal bands