We first observed this species of Cyerce on 6 May 2007 when 50 or more specimens were found aggregating under several different chunks of dead coral at depths of 8 to 10m on a coral and rubble reef behind an island along Kwajalein Atoll's east reef. The next day we revisited the site to take additional photos and only a few specimens under one rock could be found. Only one additional specimen was seen for well over a year after that, but seven more were found on 15 September 2008 and a few additional ones since then. The things we must miss by not being in the right place at the right time. This is figured in Gosliner et al (2018) as Cyerce sp. 5.
The specimen below was found on a night dive on the north end of the same island where these had been found previously.
Here is a cluster of them found under one small rock on 15 September 2008.
The specimen in the two photos below was quite small, about 12mm in length. In these small ones, the brown network visible in several of the shots above, is darker and more extensive. Several of these small specimens were found together under a single rock at a depth of about 5m on Kwajalein Atoll's western lagoon reef on 4 January 2009.
Additional small and colorful specimens have been found at Majuro atoll by Ken Cone and Beth Van Zummeren.
Created 4 November 2007
Updated 3 July 2021