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2026 · Photo: Boaz Liebes
Bus stop nudibranch
Philippines · Indo Pacific - South China Sea
A small Goniobranchus described from 'Bus Stop' reef in Balayan Bay, Batangas, Philippines; the name comes from the Tagalog hintuan, 'stopping place'. Like G. geometricus it rhythmically raises and lowers the front of its mantle while crawling, and is often seen crawling in the open.
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White, nodular mantle edged with deep violet. Five to eight small, opaque white rounded nodules in the centre of the back are each ringed with deep magenta, fading into a plum network between the nodules. Rhinophores and gills dull plum with crimson lines along their edges; about 10 gill leaves. Underside of the anterior mantle deep purple.
Goniobranchus geometricus has a dark brown to black network, no magenta-ringed white spots and greenish to yellow-brown rhinophores and gills. G. conchyliatus has a deep purple network and no white spots.
Shallow subtidal sandy or silty bottoms and reefs, crawling in the open; type specimen from 2 m.
Like other Goniobranchus, presumably feeds on sponges.
