Graeffe's Sea Cucumber (Juvenile)

Description:

Juveniles of P. graeffei are brightly coloured, being white and blue or black, with a few large, yellow, thorn-like projections. This colouration makes them closely resemble the sea slug, Phyllidia varicosa, mimicking the bright colours of the nudibranch which warn predators of its toxicity. The appearance of the juvenile sea cucumbers begins to change when they grow larger than the slug and the mimicry is no longer effective. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearsonothu...

Habitat:

Seabed and on coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific Ocean.

Notes:

Found this juvenile at a depth of about 2m at Dive and Trek. For a look at how different the adult is, check my previous spotting at http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/728...