Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area, California

Compiled & photographed by Gary McDonald, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz

Description: Ground color varies from pure white to cream, light cadmium yellow, or occasionally burnt sienna. A series of white, reticulate lines and loops occurs on the dorsum. An opaque white line occurs along edge of foot; a similar line occurs on anterior margin of frontal veil and transversely on head between rhinophores up onto rhinophores sheaths. Margin of slightly bilobed frontal veil bears about 7-12 long, tapered, white processes. Rhinophores bear about 8-10 vertical, uni- to bipinnate, plumose, yellowish processes which encircle the shaft below the tip. A single, rather irregular, undulating series of about 9-15, yellowish, bi- to tripinnate, plumose branchial appendages occurs dorso-laterally on either side of dorsum.
Size: Typically about 20mm in length, but may reach 70mm.
Notes: Feeds on octocorals such as: Cryptophyton goddardi, Alcyonium rudyi & Gersemia rubiformis; as well as the sea pen Ptilosarcus gurneyi and the gorgonian Lophogorgia chilensis.