Friday, February 28, 2014

Species List: Terry's Delight, Arkwright Shoals, off Coolum, Sunshine Coast, 27-02-2014

28 species found at Terry's Delight, Arkwright Shoals, off Coolum, Sunshine Coast.
Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 2 x 80 minute dives in water depths from 14m to 19m. 8m viz, 26C water temp and heavy surge.

Our original intention was to dive at Currimundi Reef getting out over the Caloundra bar. However after taking some time to observe the conditions there, and watching a boat almost come to grief, discretion won out over valour and we opted to use Mooloolaba. Occasionally we encountered sets of quite large swells which were not forecast to arrive until Friday. This we thought would seriously affect our species finds but although it is down a little on the 40 of last week we were pleasantly surprised at the resulting count. We have not seen Aegires gardineri for some time so that was a good find. A look at the substrate shot will explain the numbers of Phyllodesmium magnum sighted. The soft corals are thriving and dominating the flat areas of the terrain.

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

Aegires gardineri 3/1
Aegires flores 1/-
Ardeadoris aff. averni 1/-
Chromodoris elisabethina 1/2
Chromodoris splendida 1/5
Dendrodoris denisoni -/1
Dermatobranchus ornatus 2/2
Dermatobranchus tuberculatus 1/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata 4/4
Elysia maoria -/2
Glossodoris vespa 1/1
Gymnodoris alba -/1
Halgerda aurantiomaculata 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 1/-
Hypselodoris obscura 1/1
Hypselodoris whitei 1/-
Jorunna sp. 3
Mexichromis festiva -/2
Mexichromis trilineata -/1
Phyllidia ocellata 1/1
Phyllidia varicosa -/1
Phyllidiella lizae 3/3
Phyllidiella pustulosa 3/1
*Phyllodesmium magnum 6/3
Pteraeolidia ianthina 5/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 3/2
Thuridilla splendens 1/1
Tritoniopsis alba -/3

Surface conditions - small chop large swells

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Chromodoris elisabethina

Hypselodoris whitei

Dermatobranchus tuberculatus

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Phyllodesmium magnum - trailing

Aegires gardineri (smooth rhinophores)

Chromodoris splendida

Phyllidia varicosa

Elysia maoria 

Thuridilla splendens

Mexichromis festiva

Gymnodoris alba

Mexichromis trilineata

The rich and diverse growth on the substrate 
showing dive reel line

Peeking over the shoulder

Halgerda aurantiomaculata

Pteraeolidia ianthina

Hypselodoris obscura

Tritoniopsis alba

Phyllidia ocellata



Thursday, February 20, 2014

Species List: Terry's Delight, Arkwright Shoals, off Coolum, Sunshine Coast, 18-02-2014

40 species found at Terry's Delight, Arkwright Shoals, off Coolum, Sunshine Coast.
Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 99 minute and 1x 92 minute dives in water depths of 15m to 17m. 10m viz, 25C water temp, and no surge.

Whilst the visibility has fallen away slightly the number and variety of sea slugs continues to provide hours of underwater entertainment. We spent most of our time on the reef tops and next time we return will examine the deeper areas and clefts down to 20m. We have found our 563rd species - an aeolid with some similarity to, but different from, Trinchesia ornata, that we have called Trinchesia sp. 22. An unusual colour form of Flabellina rubrolineata was also sighted and it acted differently by being half buried in the substrate and with inflated cerata.

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

Aegires flores 4/2
Ardeadoris electra 1/-
Berthella martensi -/1
Bornella anguilla 3/1
Chromodoris elisabethina 1/1
Chromodoris splendida 2/4
Cratena simba 1/1
Dendrodoris denisoni 1/-
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 1/-
Dermatobranchus ornatus 2/5
Dermatobranchus rodmani -/1
Dermatobranchus tuberculatus -/1
* Doriprismatica atromarginata 14/7
Elysia maoria -/1
Flabellina rubrolineata 1/1
Glossodoris vespa 2/4
Goniobranchus decorus 1/-
Goniobranchus verrieri -/1
Gymnodoris alba 2/-
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/-
Hoplodoris nodulosa 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 3/1
Hypselodoris maritima 1/-
Hypselodoris obscura -/1
Jorunna sp. 4 1/-
Mexichromis festiva 1/1
Noumea simplex -/1
Phyllidia elegans 1/3
Phyllidia picta -/2
Phyllidiella lizae 1/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 3/3
Phyllidiopsis burni 1/1
Phyllodesmium magnum 1/-
Pteraeolidia ianthina 2/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 6/3
Trinchesia ornata 2/-
Trinchesia sp. 3 2/1
Trinchesia sp. 10 1/-
Trinchesia sp. 22 -/1 (our 563rd species)
Tritoniopsis alba 2/1

Marvellous surface conditions

Jorunna sp. 4 

Hypselodoris jacksoni - mating pair

Trinchesia sp. 10

Trinchesia ornata - typical

Trinchesia sp. 3

Chromodoris splendida

Dermatobranchus rodmani - juvenile

Phyllidia picta

Glossodoris vespa

Dermatobranchus tuberculatus

Hypselodoris obscura

Noumea simplex

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Hexabranchus sanguineus

Hypselodoris maritima

Hoplodoris nodulosa

Aegires flores

Gymnodoris alba 

Chromodoris elisabethina

Phyllodesmium magnum

Mexichromis festiva

Goniobranchus decorus

Dermatobranchus cf. primus

Bornella anguilla

Berthella martensi - dark colour form

Trinchesia sp. 22 - new species (#563)

Trinchesia sp. 22 - in the lab


Goniobranchus verrieri

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Cratena simba

Elysia maoria

Flabellina rubrolineata - typical

Flabellina rubrolineata - unusual colour form 
and presentation

Flabellina rubrolineata- unusual 
colour form - in the lab