Species List: 22-06-2018, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

10 species sighted at, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 22-06-2018.

A single shore entry dive by Gary and David of 55 minutes. Maximum depth 5.7 m, 20 C water temperature (rounded up) and maximum 8 m viz.

A shorter than usual immersion courtesy of a couple of equipment failures. We probably only covered about 10 lineal metres of river bed but managed nevertheless to sight more species than we sometimes record in dives of three times the duration and ten times the distance covered. The substrate has been significantly altered due to the recent river bed profiling operations.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Cratena lineata -3
Eubranchus sp. 10 -5
Flabellina rubrolineata -2
Goniobranchus daphne -3
Goniodoridella savignyi -4
* Goniodoridella sp. 1 -8
Goniodoridella sp. 5 -1
Hypselodoris obscura -1
Thuridilla carlsoni -1
Unidentia sp. 5 -3

Cratena lineata

Flabellina rubrolineata

Thuridilla carlsoni

Eubranchus sp. 10

Entry point to site; downstream aspect

Goniodoridella sp. 5

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Substrate

Goniodoridella savignyi

Ah, technology. You can never 

have too much "stuff".

Unidentia sp. 5

Goniobranchus daphne

Substrate

Hypselodoris obscura

Species List: 16-06-2018, Terry’s Delight, Arkwright Shoals, off Point Arkwright, Yaroomba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

29 species sighted at Terry’s Delight, Arkwright Shoals, off Point Arkwright, Yaroomba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 16-06-2018

Gary and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 84 minute and 1 x 76 minute dives in water depths from 13 m to 17 m. 20 m viz, 22 C water temp and no surge.

The ideal surface and diving conditions persisted so we ventured out on back to back excursions, this time a little further afield up to the Arkwright Shoals. A similar species count eventuated but some different species recorded this time. Ardeadoris carlsoni, Chromodoris magnifica and Dermatobranchus sp. 10 were uncommon finds. The deep crevasses at this site provide an enjoyable substrate to search for our elusive quarry.

Number of each species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive
* Species with highest specimen count

Aegires flores 1/-
Aplysia parvula 1/-
Ardeadoris carlsoni -/1
Ardeadoris sp. 2 1/-
Bornella anguilla 2/2
Chromodoris elisabethina -/3
Chromodoris kuiteri -/1
Chromodoris magnifica -/1
Chromodoris striatella 2/-
Dermatobranchus rodmani 5/-
Dermatobranchus sp. 10 -/1
* Doriprismatica atromarginata 6/3
Flabellina sp. 1 1/1
Glossodoris vespa 1/2
Goniobranchus collingwoodi -/1
Goniobranchus splendidus 5/2
Gymnodoris alba -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 1/2
Hypselodoris obscura -/1
Jorunna parva -/1
Jorunna sp. 3 1/-
Phyllidia picta -/1
Phyllidiella lizae -/3
Phyllidiella pustulosa -/3
Pteraeolidia semperi -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum -/3
Tenellia sp. 33 1/-
Thuridilla splendens 3/2
Tritoniopsis elegans -/1

Dockside preparations

Substrate - on the top of the shoals

Thuridilla splendens

Tenellia sp. 33

Aegires flores

Jorunna sp. 3

Goniobranchus splendidus - 

typical port wine coloured markings

Crevasse substrate

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Phyllidiella lizae

Tritoniopsis elegans

Hypselodoris obscura

Phyllidia picta

Pteraeolidia semperi

Goniobranchus collingwoodi

Aplysia parvula

Chromodoris striatella

Bornella anguilla

Ardeadoris sp. 2

Dermatobranchus rodmani

Surface conditions - Looking SW to Mt Coolum

Jorunna parva

Flabellina sp. 1

Chromodoris elisabethina

Ardeadoris carlsoni

Glossodoris vespa

Chromodoris kuiteri

Chromodoris magnifica

Goniobranchus splendidus - 

lighter coloured markings

Dermatobranchus sp. 10

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Species List: 15-06-2018, North West Reef, Old Woman Island, off Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

27 species sighted at North West Reef, Old Woman Island, off Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast, Qld,
15-06-2018.

Gary and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 98 minute and 1 x 93 minute dives in water depths from 8 m to 12 m. 15 m viz, 22 C water temp and the slightest of surge.

With the offshore winds expected to pick-up mid-morning we selected the conservative option of diving inshore at Old Woman Island. We banked on the current water clarity extending to the island and we weren’t disappointed. Surface conditions were ideal. Ardeadoris angustolutea and Verconia norba were uncommon finds together with the Aplysia parvula, the latter found dining on the red algae.

Number of each species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive
* Species with highest specimen count

Aplysia parvula 2/-
Ardeadoris angustolutea 1/-
Ardeadoris sp. 2 1/-
Berthellina citrina 1/-
Chromodoris elisabethina -/2
Chromodoris kuiteri -/2
Chromodoris striatella 1/-
Dendrodoris fumata 1/-
Dermatobranchus oculus -/1
Dermatobranchus rodmani 1/1
Diversidoris flava -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 3/2
Goniobranchus sp. 6 1/-
Goniobranchus splendidus 3/3
Goniodoridella savignyi 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 2/-
Hypselodoris sagamiensis 1/-
Miamira sinuata -/1
Phyllidia ocellata -/1
Phyllidiella lizae 3/4
Phyllidiella pustulosa 3/2
Pleurobranchus peronii 1/2
Sagaminopteron ornatum 1/2
Thuridilla carlsoni 1/-
* Thuridilla splendens 5/4
Verconia norba 1/-
Verconia simplex 1/1

Hypselodoris sagamiensis

Verconia simplex

Thuridilla carlsoni

Ardeadoris angustolutea

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Dermatobranchus oculus

Thuridilla splendens

Miamira sinuata

Diversidoris flava

Goniobranchus splendidus

Verconia norba

Dermatobranchus rodmani

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Substrate

Berthellina citrina

Pleurobranchus peronii - juvenile

Pleurobranchus peronii - adult

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Recording the finds - interested party looking on

Aplysia parvula - feeding on the algae

Aplysia parvula - stretched out on the substrate

Goniodoridella savignyi

Goniobranchus sp. 6

Dendrodoris fumata

Phyllidiella lizae

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Ardeadoris sp. 2

Looking SE to Old Woman Island 

(Mudjimba Island)

Phyllidia ocellata

Chromodoris elisabethina 

Chromodoris kuiteri