Pseudobiceros fulgor Newman & Cannon, 1994
photos - upper: Pauline Fiene. Ma`alaea Bay, Maui, at 60 ft. lower: Kerry Key, Kona, Hawaii.

This worm's distinctive color pattern matches fairly well with that of Pseudobiceros fulgor, an Indo-Pacific species. The worm in the upper photo appears to be a young specimen, because the pseudotentacles are simple folds rather than the more complex pseudotentacles typical of the genus Pseudobiceros. The lower photo shows a more mature specimen with better developed pseudotentacles. Kerry Key, owner of Kona Diving Company, spotted this specimen during a night dive. It was swimming when she first noticed it. Most Pseudobiceros flatworms have the ability to swim.

There appear to be consistent geographic differences in this species' color pattern, especially in details of the dark marginal band. For example, compare this Philippines worm with Scott Johnson's Marshall Islands specimens. We note that the dark marginal bands of these Hawaiian worms are somewhat narrower and lighter in color than that of many individuals elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific.

"Fulgor" is Latin for "lightening" in reference to the many fine branched lines. Newman & Cannon note that "This species extrudes copious amounts of transparent mucus and animals readily disintegrated during collection."

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