Affectionately named after the children cartoon character, the “Shaun The Sheep” Nudi is a firm favourite of beginner and advanced divers alike. These nudibranchs are more than just a cute little creature. Shauns (Costasiella kuroshimae) are not your usual nudibranch, but in fact can be classed as a “solar powered nudi”.
They are found on shallow parts of the reef, crawling along leaves, sea grass or algae. This is due to the fact these sap sucking slugs consume the foliage and harness the chloroplasts in their bodies so they can photosynthesis! Due to their photosynthesising behaviour you will only find them in shallow areas.
They are the perfect creature to start hunting for on your way to your safety stop at the end of the dive. To the untrained eye they may only look like a green blob, the size of a grain of rice. However if you can get close enough (or better yet get your macro lens close enough) then you start to make out the details.
The ability to convert the suns rays into useable energy may seem unique to plants and this one animal, however there are a whole host of ‘solar powered nudis’. Their rarity and intricate details make them very popular photography subjects for those who can find them. Fortunately our expert guides do the hard work for you!
As well as these fantastic creatures spotted this week we also had the pleasure of welcoming 2 brand new open water divers into the world thanks to our resident instructor Rachel. Safe travels and happy bubbles to Ellen and Justin.
Dive with Two Fish Divers and find perfect creatures of the ocean world.
