Hallaxa iju is relatively rare in the Marshalls, where we have observed it only at Enewetak Atoll. The seven specimens recorded were under dead coral rocks on lagoon pinnacles or patch reefs at depths of about 3 to 10 meters. Sizes all clustered around 7 to 8mm in length. Iju is Marshallese for star, and refers to the rhinophore clubs (on the left side of the photo) whose wide wavy lamellae floating above the body on transparent rhinophore stalks are reminiscent of twinkling stars. Hallaxa iju was first reported in the Marshalls from Enewetak Atoll by Gosliner & Johnson (1994).
Created 11 December 2006