Costasiella kuroshimae Ichikawa, 1993
5mm

Costasiella kuroshimae is currently known in the Marshalls from two specimens found at Enewetak Atoll in 1983 and many more found and photographed by Christina Sylvester in a reef quarry on Kwajalein Island. Some of those in the Kwajalein reef quarry were hiding under small chunks of Palythoa that appeared to have been washed into the quarry from the seaward reef flat. Most of the specimens measured up to 5mm in length and were in 1 to 5 meters of water. Currently known from Japan and eastern Australia, the Marshall Islands represents a considerable range extension.

The fuzzy photo below shows one of the 1983 Enewetak specimens. Alas, film and Nikonos extension tube photography just doesn't do these tiny species justice.

Created 5 February 2007
Updated 2 February 2016

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