28 species found at NW Reef Old Woman Island, Sunshine Coast.
2 dives each of about 58 minutes in water depths of 9m to 12m, 3m viz and 24c water temp. Considerable surge at times.
THE SUNREEF DECEMBER NUDIBRANCH DIVES
Julie, Terry & David guided some enthusiastic nudibranch hunters.
The long legs of Sunreef's dive boat 2 EZY took us comfortably out to our dive site. We asked the keen nudibranch lovers who joined us on this escapade if they wanted a nice cushy dive or did they want to find lots of nudibranchs. The chorus went up: "We want nudibranchs!". It was explained to them that if they could endure low viz and a bit of surge there would be heaps to see at Old Woman Island. The material in the water that produces the low viz provides the food for the creatures that nudibranchs eat so that's where they are to be found in great diversity. We ran out the dive reel upon the substrate for 40 metres and worked up and down it either side giving us a point of reference and also so we could all stay in contact and show each other what we found. 28 different species of sea slug were sighted all up - a most successful effort taking the viz and surge into consideration. The numbers shown for each species do not reflect all of those sighted as we were concentrating on variety and the surge and particles in the water were not conducive to the best photography.
Number of species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive
*Species with highest specimen count
Bulbaeolidia alba -/1
Chromodoris splendida 2/-
Dendrodoris denisoni -/1
Diversidoris crocea 2/-
*Doriprismatica atromarginata 4/5
Doris sp. 1 -/1
Elysia maoria -/3
Glossodoris vespa -/2
Goniobranchus albonares -/1
Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus 1/-
Goniobranchus daphne 2/-
Goniobranchus geometricus -/1
Gymnodoris alba -/1
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/-
Hypselodoris bullockii -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni -/4
Hypselodoris obscura 1/1
Jorunna sp. 3 1/-
Mexichromis trilineata -/1
Miamira sinuata -/1
Phyllidia ocellata -/1
Phyllidiella lizae -/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa 2/2
Pleurobranchus peronii 1/-
Roboastra luteolineata 1/-
Tayuva lilacina 1/-
Thuridilla splendens 3/1
Tritoniopsis alba -/1
Thuridilla splendens
Chromodoris splendida
Pleurobranchus peronii
Roboastra luteolineata
Goniobranchus daphne
Diversidoris crocea
Hexabranchus sanguineus - juvenile
Hypselodoris obscura
Phyllidia ocellata
Doriprismatica atromarginata
Gymnodoris alba
Miamira sinuata
Glossodoris vespa
Hypselodoris bullockii
Dendrodoris denisoni
Tritoniopsis alba
Goniobranchus albonares
Bulbaeolidia alba
Tayuva lilacina
Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus
Mexichromis trilineata
Elysia maoria
Doris sp. 1
Goniobranchus geometricus
Elysia maoria - lighter coloured
