At least seven specimens of this unusual Aegires have been recorded in the Marshalls from Enewetak Atoll, and at least a dozen from Kwajalein. Most were under rocks on lagoon and pinnacle reefs at depths of 5 to 20 meters, and they measured from 5 to 9mm in length. Several smaller individuals have been found by Christina Sylvester in the Kwajalein reef quarries at 1 to 2m. The Marshall Islands specimens are somewhat reminiscent of Aegires villosus but are all more heavily pigmented with magenta and orange, and the rhinophores have quite different coloration. This Aegires was first reported in the Marshalls as A. villosus from Enewetak Atoll by Johnson & Boucher (1984).
The specimen below was found and photographed by Christina Sylvester in a shallow reef quarry at Kwajalein. While its color mostly fits with the Enewetak specimens figured above, the generally shorter wart are not typical. The white, apparently calcareous sponge it is crawling across appears to be this nudibranch's food source.
A few more shots of the Kwajalein specimen.
Two more small specimens from a Kwajalein reef quarry found by Christina Sylvester. The first is a very tiny, 4mm or less, and is on its apparent prey sponge.
This one was a little larger and has a bit more white color, more like the Enewetak specimens.
Created 3 January 2007
Updated 14 December 2021