Thuridilla vatae was relatively common at Enewetak Atoll between 1981 and 1983 with more than 80 specimens observed. Most were found under dead coral on shallow lagoon reefs at depths of 1 to 10 meters. Several more were found from only a few days of sampling at Utirik Atoll. Only a few were found at Kwajalein from 1988 until recently, when we started to look a bit shallower than previously on a couple of lagoon interisland reefs. They are fairly common under rocks in 3 to 5m in those areas. The individual below has just laid down the orange spiral egg mass.
The specimen in the two photos below was found in Kwajalein lagoon on 15 September 2008.
Created 27 January 2007
Updated 19 September 2008