Nudibranchs of Hawaii Main Page
This large clumpy nudibranch definitely suits its common name. It is fairly round and dotted with clumps or creamy lumps that are divided by a noticable bumpy central ridge. Its rhinophores are club-like with noticeable bent “clumps” on top. The body varies in colour from brownish/grey/tan to a light yellow. If you’re lucky, you’ll find an individual with a beautiful light pink margin. The individuals photographed here were found high on a surge covered reef, and low on a shallow protected reef (in six feet or 2 meters of water) — all in South Maui, from La Perouse Bay to North Kihei. Apparently, this dorid can be as big as 10 inches (250 mm), but all of the Asteronotus cespitosus photographed here were between 4 and 7 inches. For more information check out Sea Slugs of Hawaii, where you’ll discover, as I did, that the central ridge divides the animal into two sides which are pretty close to being mirror images of each other.
