Babakina indopacifica
The first time I found Babakina indopacifica I thought it was the ever-present, rather common, and comparatively drab Bulbaeolidia alba, but was perplexed by the seeming separate movement of the prominent orange spot. Turns out it was a set of rather tall orangeish-red rhinophores that are not only disproportionate but fused together at the bottom! AND it has a beautiful rose-coloured body and rose-tipped cerata. It’s become one of my favourite nudibranchs! These little (approx. 10-15 mm) beauties were found out in the open, possibly feeding on blue octocoral in about 4 feet (just over 1 metre) of water off of North Kihei, Maui. Sea Slugs of Hawaii shares several more insights into this beautiful little aeolid.