Pseudocerotid J
photos: top: David Prutow, Kawaihae, Hawaii; middle 1: John Horn, Kauai.
middle 2: 2017 MarineGeo Survey of Kaneohe Bay. 17 mm; bottom: Cory Pittman, Hekili Point, Maui. 15 mm.

David Prutow took the top photo in October, 2021. It is the first underwater photo of this worm that we've seen. The original photo of this species, in the lower middle, is a lab shot taken in 2017 of a specimen collected in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu.

Cory Pittman writes: "This is probably another Pseudoceros but it doesn't match anything on the Newman CD. The middle, paler animal (photo 3) is from Kaneohe Bay. It was found on 5/28/17 at on the outside of the reef at 14-17 m. Both the find and the photo are by the invert team so should be credited as "2017 MarineGeo survey of Kaneohe Bay, Oahu under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution, The Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, the University of Hawaii and affiliated organizations/sponsors." It was about 17 mm long.

The bottom, darker animal is from Hekili Point. It was 15 mm long and
was found at about 1 m on 6/11/18. The photo and find are mine."

Update: In February 2022 John Horn photographed another of these worms at a depth of about 30 ft. off Kauai. See photo 2.

BACK to mottled or speckled with marginal bands