Species List: 27-02-2020, Caves, Gneering Shoals Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

12 species sighted at Caves, Gneering Shoals, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld. 27-02-2020.

A double boat dive with Sunreef by Gary and Chris of 62 and 55 minutes. Maximum depth 11.6 m, 26C water temperature and up to 12 m viz.

While waiting for the river to recoup we decided to get out on the reef.  Just under a more of swell did make it surgey but doable.

Species and number thereof sighted. Dive 1/Dive 2
* Species with highest specimen count

Aegires gardineri -/1
Chromodoris elisabethina 1/2
Doriprismatica atromarginata 5/2
Goniobranchus splendidus  1/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni -/1
Hypselodoris lucana -/1
Mexichromis trilineata 3/-
Phyllidia elegans -/4
Phyllidia varicosa 1/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa 1/1
Tenellia sp. 33 -/1
Tylodina corticalis ? smooth shell 1/-

Our ride

Making way...

Mexichromis trilineata

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Substrate

Mexichromis trilineata

Chromodoris elisabethina

Doriprismatica atromarginata and Hypselodoris lucana

Substrate

Goniobranchus splendidus

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Phyllidia varicosa

Tylodina corticalis ? smooth shell

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Substrate

 Figure on the landscape

Chromodoris elisabethina

Phyllidia elegans

Phyllidia elegans mating pair

Goniobranchus splendidus

Tenellia sp. 33

Substrate

Aegires gardineri 

Chromodoris elisabethina

Phyllidia varicosa

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Chromodoris elisabethina

Species List: 18-02-2020, Toilet Block upriver, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

9 species sighted at Toilet Block upriver, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld. 18-02-2020.

A shore entry dive by Gary and Steve of 131 minutes. Maximum depth 5.6 m, 28 C water temperature and up to 2 m viz.

The river is at the end of its Nudibranch LIFE. So much has been killed off and very few nudibranchs. Many Bubble shells were recorded maybe because of the salinity of the water. The highlight for me was recording a second Ringicula sp. shell.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

* Aliculastrum cylindricum shell -6
Atys semistriatus shell -1
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -4
Haminoea sp. shell -2
Hypselodoris obscura -2
Liloa brevis shell -
Retusa sp. 5 shell -1
Ringicula sp. 1 shell -1
Weinkauffia reliqua shell -1

Aliculastrum cylindricum shell

Aliculastrum cylindricum shell

Aliculastrum cylindricum shell

Atys semistriatus shell 

Beautiful entry

Beautiful drift

Retusa sp. 5 shell 

Weinkauffia reliqua shell

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Dead substrate

Dead substrate

Hypselodoris obscura

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Fish cage

Atys semistriatus shell

Haminoea sp. shell

Ringicula sp. 1 shell

Ringicula sp. 1 shell

Species List: 17-02-2020, Toilet Block and Rotunda, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

6 species sighted at Toilet Block and Rotunda, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld. 17-02-2020.

A double shore entry dives by Gary and Steve of 88 and 79 minutes. Maximum depth 6.0 m, 28 C water temperature and up to 2 m viz.

We were busting to see if Toilet Block was better than the pervious sites. The Toilet Block is dead no nudibranchs were seen, all food sources are either gone or rotting or stripped of food. Hard corals are bleached. We ended the dive and walked down to Rotunda. Finding six species was a treat including Plakobranchus ocellatus. A couple of bubble shells were also found.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Liloa sp. shell -1
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -1
* Hypselodoris obscura -2
Liloa brevis shell -1
Plakobranchus ocellatus -1
Retusa sp. 5 shell -1

Entry

Ready to go

Substrate

Dead

Dead

Stopped

Plakobranchus ocellatus 

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Retusa sp. 5 shell

Liloa sp. shell

Hypselodoris obscura

Hypselodoris obscura