Hypselodoris cf bullockii (Collingwood, 1881)

The species currently known as Hypselodoris bullockii is either quite variable in coloration or the same name is being used for several related species throughout the Indo-Pacific. All the various forms will need to be studied and compared before it can be sure which of those possibilities is correct. The Marshall Islands specimens seem to fall at one of the far ends of its range of variation. It is hard for me to accept that the small, pale animals we see here are the same as the larger purple specimens I saw down in the Solomons. But maybe they are. So far we have seen at least 12 specimens, all at Enewetak Atoll, and ranging in size from 7 to 32mm. All were white to pale pink, the larger ones with a tinge of purple around the anterior margin and on the tip of the tail. Rhinophores are orange and white; the first picture below is a large specimen that shows the colors well. On most, they were less distinct. All were found on lagoon pinnacles at depths of 10 to 15 meters, and most of the animals were on their prey species of sponge, shown in the second and third photos below.

This animal pulled away from its feeding position when disturbed. A moment before, it had its head in the hole right below it.

Surrounded by food!

Below is a specimen of Hypselodoris bullockii photographed in the Florida group of the Solomon Islands. Most of the Solomons specimens I observed were very similar to this.

Created 19 December 2005
Updated 14 January 2007