Wednesday, July 2, 2014

The Straddie Nudi Fest, Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island, 28th & 29th June 2014.

The Nudibranch Team were invited to present a nudibranch talk and join in the diving during the recent Nudi Fest run by Manta Lodge & Scuba Centre at Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island. Julie, Terry & David attended with David sitting out the actual dives whilst recovering from a back ailment. Julie and Terry partook of 4 dives on Rigid II at Shag Rock (3 dives) and Boat Rock (1 dive) pointing out and identifying nudibranchs to the other enthralled divers. Different slugs were sighted at each of the sites and listed below are the species found during those dives. Surge and currents probably prevented a larger count being achieved so that sites will be more carefully chosen to suit the intention in future.

At the Saturday night presentation David explained how to recognize the different types of sea slugs and included information about their behaviour. Julie spoke of recent finds by The Team in the Mooloolah River illustrating just how rewarding a new habitat can be (11 new species to the list in just eleven dives) whilst Terry presented images of and spoke about the Branchs found during the dives that day. All round, very well received by an attentive and appreciative audience hungry for information.

Chromodoris elisabethina
Cratena lineata
Cratena simba
Dermatobranchus cf. primus
Dermatobranchus rodmani
Dermatobranchus tuberculatus
Diversodoris aurantionodulosa
Doriprismatica atromarginata
Elysia verrucosa
Flabellina bicolor
Flabellina rubrolineata
Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus
Goniobranchus rufomaculatus
Goniobranchus splendidus
Hexabranchus sanguineus
Hypselodoris bennetti
Hypselodoris obscura
Miamira magnifica
Noumea simplex
Phidiana indica
Phyllodesmium crypticum
Thuridilla vataae
Trinchesia sibogae

Phyllodesmium crypticum

Miamira magnifica

Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus

Phidiana indica

Diversodoris aurantionodulosa

Diversodoris aurantionodulosa

Dermatobranchus rodmani

Hypselodoris obscura

Noumea simplex

Chromodoris elisabethina

Goniobranchus rufomaculatus

Hexabranchus sanguineus - juvenile

Cratena simba

Dermatobranchus tuberculatus

Flabellina bicolor

Elysia verrucosa

Elysia verrucosa

Hypselodoris bennetti

Hypselodoris bennetti - mating pair

Goniobranchus splendidus

Cratena lineata

Flabellina rubrolineata

Flabellina rubrolineata - different colour form

Thuridilla vataae

Dermatobranchus cf. primus

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Trinchesia sibogae