Nudibranchs of Puerto Galera, Philippines

              Nudibranchs of Puerto Galera

  One of the main reasons the Philippines has been so high on our scuba dive radar is the diversity of nudibranchs that can be found in the waters here. Sea slugs that come in every color imaginable and all different shapes and sizes dot the reefs and rocks just offshore. When we told our divemaster, Amil, that we were hoping to see lots of nudibranchs his eyes lit up. Apparently Puerto Galera is a nudibranch lovers paradise.

Nembrotha chamerlaini

Pseudoceros bifurcus

  13 dives and we saw nudibranchs on every dive! Some were absolutely tiny and needed a very trained eye to see, even if someone was pointing right towards them. Others caught the eye with their wild colors making them stand out.

   Some of the nudibranchs were similar to those we have in Hawaii like these two pictured here. But small differences show how the isolation in Hawaii has slowly changed these into their own distinct nudibranch species.

  Other nudibranchs we found were unlike anything we can see in Hawaii. This part of the world is home to such a vast array of beautiful sea creatures. I feel like I could dive here for years and still find new nudibranchs all the time.

One of my favorites, the gills on this nudibranchs sparkle like a diamond chandelier