Phylum: Mollusca (Moll-us-ca) molluscs - shells
The molluscs make up a major part of the world’s marine invertebrate faunas.
At least 112,000 species of molluscs are known and probably many more remain to be discovered. The word mollusc means soft-bodied which is applied to all five major classes within the phylum.
The major classes are Chitons, Univalves (including Opisthobranchs, Nudibranchs), Tusk Shells, Bivalves, Cephalopods.
Opisthobranch/Nudibranch New Discoveries
Indented Atagema
Atagema sp.
Nocturnal by nature, this Indented Atagema Atagema sp. was not noticed till 2004.
It lived in only 6 metres of water amongst rubble in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea.
(Victorian Museum)
ADVENTURES IN LEARNING
Mounting expeditions and discovering new life forms for the first time is pretty exciting stuff. However, it can never compare with when you get your first pictures published, because then they are shared.
My personal scientific collections of specimens amount to many thousands and these are mostly housed in Australian Museums. I have collections in the Australian Museum, Queensland Museum, Museum Victoria and Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory.
Unfortunately, although these collections contain hundreds of original new species found up to 40 years ago, much of the material remains ‘in limbo’ in storerooms. There has not been enough funding provided by the Australian Government for natural sciences so that museums can employ specialist taxonomists in marine sciences.
This situation has been very disappointing as I have dedicated my life to the advancement of natural history knowledge only to see some of my discoveries gather dust because there are so few taxonomists and so much still unknown.
As there are at least another 150 undescribed species of opisthobranchs waiting to be worked on, the identifications have been made to genus (where known) from the images and the present state of knowledge.
Discovery only comes about by exploration and in many cases
this includes taking risks.
Knowledge itself can only be advanced by those who have the courage
of their convictions.
Neville at work
Most of my diving career I have had to carry 3 camera systems to be able to shoot enough images to try and establish records of the ocean's inhabitants with the maximum number of dives at any one location on any one day. This, together with the time involved to collect each specimen I photographed, meant completing lots of dives in all kinds of conditions, day and night.
Somebody once commented that I looked like a Christmas Tree each time I went diving; there was no doubt, I certainly felt like one, that's for shore, BUT the results speak for themselves. There was no other way to do the job properly!
HABITATS
HOW TO FIND OPISTHOBRANCHS
Opisthobranchs can be found in almost every available habitat in the marine environment, from high up in the intertidal zone to the great ocean depths in excess of 1000 metres. Yet it is the intertidal and inner sub-tidal zones which support the greatest number of species. One of the most exciting or, at times, frustrating aspect of opisthobranchs is the unpredictable nature of their appearance (abundance or rarity) at any one location.
With creatures whose entire life cycles may only represent a month, two months, or at the most a year, recording is indeed a challenge.
While some more common species in southern Australia may have a forecast life cycle occurrence (due to direct development or predictable currents, or food sources) the majority of tropical species have unrecorded life histories and appear transitory. At this point in our knowledge, there is a lot of guess work and a lot of luck in discovery, yet it is that very uncertainty which adds excitement to the exploration.
The fun is in the finding, and learning ........the greatest adventure of all.
Yellow - edged Cadlina
Cadlina sp.
First found at 15 metres under a rock on reef off Bruny Island, Tasmania in 1972, this original Yellow - edged Cadlina Cadlina sp. has yet to be described.
( Victorian Museum)
Coleman's Ceratosoma
Ceratosoma sp.
Growing to 80 mm this undescribed Coleman's Ceratosoma Ceratosoma sp. was discovered in only 4 metres of water just offshore at Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia on 7/1972. ( Victorian Museum)
Coleman's Cyerce
Cyerce sp.
Still to be found by another, Coleman's Cyerce Cyerce sp. remains a unique discovery. Yet, it was found on inshore reef at low tide in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia in 7/1972. ( Victorian Museum)
Robo's Chromodoris
Chromodoris roboi Gosliner & Behrens, 1998
Although not described until 1998, Robo's Chromodoris Chromodoris roboi was originally found and photographed at 4 metres at Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia on inshore reef in 8/1972.
( Victorian Museum)
Haloed Chromodoris
Chromodoris sp.
First found at 20 metres off Rottnest Island, Western Australia, the Haloed Chromodoris Chromodoris sp. is also known from South Australia. It feeds on sponges and grows to 50 mm.(Victorian Museum)
Spade - toothed Glossodoris
Glossodoris paladentata Rudman,1986
Described from the specimen in this photo in 1986, the Spade-toothed Glossodoris Glossodoris paladentata was the first of its kind found. It lived at 10 metres in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea and was feeding on the this sponge on 4/1982. (Australian Museum)
Brown Cyerce
Cyerce sp.
Another undescribed species originally found on intertidal shore reef at Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia in 7/1972, this Brown Cyerce Cyerce sp. grows to 25 mm.
(Victorian Museum)
Southern Discodoris
Discodoris sp.
First found in 12 metres of water under a stone off Clovelly, New South Wales in 1/1977 this undescribed species grows to 25 mm and lays orange,
direct developing eggs next to its food sponge. it is thought to be a
Discodoris sp. (Australian Museum)
Mauve Jorunna
Jorunna sp.
Living on its food sponge Callyspongia sp. this Mauve Jorunna Jorunna sp.
was originally discovered off Clovelly, New South Wales in 1/1977.
(Victorian Museum)
Coleman's Noumea
Noumea sp.
Only known from Lord Howe Island and Coff's Harbour, New South Wales, this beautiful little Coleman's Noumea Noumea sp. grows to 25 mm and was first found in 10/1987. (Victorian Museum)
Starry Glossodoris
Glossodoris stellata Rudman, 1986
The 1980's expeditions to Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea produced a wealth of new species and this Starry Glossodoris Glossodoris stellata was one of them. Described in 1986 this was the first image of the species to be published. (Australian Museum)
White - meshed Halgerda
Halgerda albocristata Gosliner & Fahey, 1998
This species remained unamed for 29 years after I had discovered and photographed it at Tryon Island, Great Barrier Reef in 7/1969. The White - meshed Halgerda Halgerda albocristata was found in only 2 metres of water beneath a dead coral slab.(Victorian Museum)
Northern Jorunna
Jorunna sp.
Certainly a very bland species, this Northern Jorunna Jorunna sp. was found at low tide beneath rock slabs in Darwin harbour, Northern Territory in 11/1972. (Victorian Museum)
Reef Halgerda
Halgerda maricola Fahey & Gosliner, 2001
Although this species was found and photographed and collected from 8 metres off Exmouth, Western Australia in 8/1972, the Reef Halgerda was not eventually described and published till 2001. (Victorian Museum)
Red - blotched Hypselodoris
Hypselodoris sp.
This Red - blotched Hypselodoris Hypselodoris sp. was found and photographed at Dampier, Western Australia in 9/1972. It has since been found in Malaysia.(2002)(Victorian Museum)
Palau Sohgenia
The oceans are so large and we are so small, and to find a creature that is only
20 mm in size, photograph, collect and preserve it and to never be able to find one again is a very humbling experience.
Yet this Palau Sohgenia Sohgenia palauensis is such an animal.
First discovered and photographed in 3 metres of water at Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia in 7/1972.
It was found again 15 years years later in Palau and eventually described in 1991 by Japanese taxonimist, Hamatari. ( Victorian Museum)
Fine - lined Dermatobranchus
Dermatobranchus sp.
Discovered on a day dive at 30 metres feeding on the Spiky Soft Coral Dendronephthya sp. this Fine - lined Dermatobranchus Dermatobranchus sp. is one of the many new species of
Dermatobranchus I have found and photographed.
Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef 11/1975. ( Victorian Museum)
Milne Bay Otinodoris
Otinodoris sp.
If your quest is to find new species then the ones most likely to be new are those that are the most drab and difficult to see in natural habitat. The Milne Bay Otinodoris Otinodoris sp. was found on reef under a stone on non descript, very tattered encrusting sponge and almost impossible to see.
Milne bay, Papua New Guinea 2004.( Neville Coleman)
Western Oxynoe
Living on the sea weed Caulerpa sp. at low tide on shore reef at Quobba Western Australia the Western Oxynoe Oxynoe sp. was found in 6/1972. Its tail is showing signs of regeneration.
( Victorian Museum)
Western Risbecia
Risbecia sp.
The Western Risbecia Risbecia sp. was noticed and photographed off Dampier, Western Australia in 1990. It appears that it also occurs across the Indian Ocean.
(Victorian Museum)
Golden Volvatella
Volvatella sp.
Photographed and collected during a fauna survey of Norfolk Island, South Pacific in 11/1988, the Golden Volvatella Volvatella sp. was found on a night dive in sea grass meadow. (Victorian Museum)
MORE SPECIES BEING ADDED AT REGULAR INTERVALS