K2 Lembeh Dive Resort

Entry #37 𝐻𝑦𝑝𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑖 - 𝗧𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗡𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵

Who is he and who is she?
Why, both!
Circling slow,
competitively;
who bears the eggs,
who wanders free?

Hypselodoris tryoni is a simultaneous hermaphrodite - each individual possesses both male and female reproductive organs, and during mating, both partners may exchange s***m at the same time.

But reproduction is not an equal bargain. Producing and carrying eggs demands far more energy than simply supplying s***m, and in this delicate biological game, each nudibranch is thought to prefer the male role whenever possible. Beneath the graceful swirling and apparent romance lies quiet negotiation - who bears the cost, and who gets to drift away free?

Dive with us, and be amazed by the almost infinite varieties of nudibranch. See them mate, find their eggs!

Find us at www.k2lembeh.com.

The Muck Diaries - 101 critters of Lembeh.

Entry #36 𝘈𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘴 - 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐛

Stick and stitch, snip and hitch,
dress to hide, survival’s pitch;
reef couture, a clever glitch.

The 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐛 is Lembeh’s resident stylist, carefully clipping and attaching bits of sponge, algae, and hydroids onto its hooked setae like a living suit of camouflage. This ever-changing disguise helps it blend seamlessly into its surroundings — and sometimes even borrow the defenses of the very organisms it wears.

Slow-moving but endlessly meticulous, it is often overlooked as just another patch of debris until it shifts, ever so slightly. For the observant diver, it’s a reminder that in the muck, even the smallest creatures are masters of invention — turning the reef itself into both armour and art.

Dive with us, and be mesmerized by the many varieties of decorator crabs. Find us at www.k2lembeh.com.

The Muck Diaries - 101 critters of Lembeh.
Entry #34 𝘗𝘩𝘺𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘮 - 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺

Wavy and leafy, drifting easy,
sunlit symbiote, energy freebie -
softly swaying, reef-life dreamy.

The 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺 is one of Lembeh’s more ethereal nudibranchs, with delicate, leaf-like cerata that ripple like soft coral in the current. But this beauty carries a clever secret - it “farms” symbiotic zooxanthellae within its tissues, gaining energy from sunlight much like a coral. Often found on or near soft corals it feeds on, it blends in effortlessly, making it a rewarding find for the patient observer.

Unlike many nudibranchs, it doesn’t rely solely on active feeding - this quiet solar partnership allows it to thrive in plain sight, a gentle drifter in the muck that rewards those who slow down and truly look.

Photographed beautifully by Ahmad Jassim, UAE. Thank you!
Dive with us, find us at www.k2lembeh.com.