Noumea flava (Eliot, 1904)

Noumea flava is rare in the Marshalls. We have seen only six specimens so far, three at Enewetak Atoll and three at Kwajalein, under dead coral rocks at depths of 5 to 10 meters on lagoon reefs and pinnacles. The specimen below measured 11mm. All were found eating a bright yellow sponge. What appear to be lighter colored mantle glands are embedded in the body just in from the irregular red margin.

The specimen in the photos below was found on yellow sponge on a Kwajalein Atoll lagoon pinnacle on 14 September 2008.

The next two shots show different individuals eating yellow sponge. The upper shot is the individual in the two photos immediately above. The lower one was on a Kwajalein lagoon reef under a rock in 5m of water on 1 March 2009.

The pair below showed up at the edge of a photograph taken on an Enewetak Atoll lagoon pinnacle of another subject. They were not noticed when the picture was taken. It is a bit fuzzy since the picture has been blown up considerably.

The next specimen was on yellow sponge under a rock on a Kwajalein Atoll lagoon pinnacle on 25 July 2010.

Created 18 December 2005
Updated 29 July 2010

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