Nudibranchs of the Seychelles

Chris Mason-Parker · Issue 81, Nov/Dec 2014 · pp. 70–73

Products mentioned: Canon 7D, Canon EF 100mm macro USM, Ikelite Housing, Ikelite DS160 strobe, Canon S90

When considering Seychelles as a dive destination, it is the underwater seascapes and charismatic megafauna that spring to mind. Enormous granite boulders lie on the seabed as if scattered by some giant invisible hand. Stacked loosely together, they provide numerous swim-throughs and overhangs, where whitetip reef sharks and huge marble rays make their homes, and hawksbill and green turtles swim lazily by. With so much of the ‘big stuff’ to preoccupy even the most jaded of divers, it is easy to see why the smaller inhabitants of the reef are often overlooked. However, for those willing to take the time to search, the Seychelles archipelago provides a wealth of macro subjects, not least an impressive variety of nudibranch species. To date, the nudibranchs of Seychelles have been understudied, with little information available regarding species diversity and distribution. What is without d…