Chromodoris preciosa (Kelaart, 1858)

Chromodoris preciosa was found occasionally at Enewetak Atoll but is rare at Kwajalein. It lives on lagoon interisland reefs under dead coral at depths of 4 to 5 meters. Several were also found under corrugated aluminum sheets blown into the lagoon off Enewetak Island by typhoon Pamela in 1982. Sizes ranged up to about 35mm but most specimens were smaller.

The two shots below are of a Kwajalein specimen that had a particularly vivid mantle margin.

The 20mm specimen in the two photos below from Kwajalein had not only a vivid margin but also numerous orange spots over the dorsum.

The specimens in the two photos below were found on 3 January 2009 on Halimeda plants on the sandy lagoon bottom at a depth of about 35m.

On larger specimens like the one below, the thin bluish edge to the margin is prominent.

Small specimens like the ones below look quite similar to Chromodoris verrieri, but the reddish color in the rhinophores and gills of C. preciosa immediately distinguish them.

Created 14 December 2005
Updated 5 January 2009