Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Species List: Nudi Retreat, Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast, 27-04-2014

34 species found at Nudi Retreat, Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast.
Terry, Julie and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 97 minute and 1 x 89 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 17m. 10m viz, 23C water temp and no surge (and no kelp either).

Having experienced the delights of the Van Dieman's Land waters David was keen to partake once more in the search for sea slugs at the local sites. Julie and Terry took pity upon him and whisked him out (the day after his return) to a site where the slugs are sighted upon the bottom even whilst descending the anchor line. The list below will attest to the variety and quantity observed.

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


Acteocina sp. 1 (shell) 1/-
Ardeadoris aff. averni -/2
Bornella anguilla -/1
Chelidonura inornata -/1
Chromodoris kuiteri -/1
Chromodoris splendida 5/3
Chromodoris striatella 1/1
Dendrodoris denisoni -/1
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 3/3
Dermatobranchus ornatus 3/5
Dermatobranchus semilunus -/1
Dermatobranchus tuberculatus 1/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 1/-
Elysia maoria -/1
Elysia pusilla 1/-
Glossodoris vespa -/2
Goniobranchus daphne -/1
Goniobranchus geometricus -/1
Goniobranchus tinctorius 3/1
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/-
Hypselodoris apolegma -/2
Hypselodoris jacksoni 2/-
Hypselodoris obscura 2/2
Jorunna parva 1/1
Noumea alboannulata -/1
Noumea simplex 2/-
* Phyllidia ocellata 7/2
Phyllidiella lizae 1/-
Phyllidiella pustulosa 2/2
Phyllodesmium crypticum -/1
Pteraeolidia ianthina 4/2
Roboastra luteolineata -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 1/4
Tritoniopsis alba 1/4

Phyllodesmium crypticum

Dermatobranchus semilunus

Noumea simplex - a pair

Hexabranchus sanguineus

Dermatobranchus tuberculatus

Pteraeolidia ianthina

Noumea alboannulata

Ardeadoris aff. averni

Bornella anguilla

A very happy chappy and not just 
with the great surface conditions

Goniobranchus tinctorius

Goniobranchus tinctorius

Dermatobranchus ornatus - juvenile

Phyllidia ocellata

Elysia pusilla - off the Halimeda

Dermatobranchus cf. primus

An autotomized ceras but no owner in sight

Hypselodoris apolegma - the colours are correct 
and the reticulation in the white marginal band 
is just discernible when enlarged

Roboastra luteolineata

Tritoniopsis alba

Chromodoris striatella

Elysia maoria

Goniobranchus daphne

Chromodoris kuiteri

Chelidonura inornata - one of the largest 
specimens we have sighted




Saturday, April 26, 2014

Species List Nudi Ledge, Currimundi 24-04-2014

33 species found at Currimundi.  Terry and Patrik on this trip. 1x78 minute dive and 1x69  minute dive at Nudi Ledge in water depths of 14 m to 16.8 m, water temp 23 C, viz 12 m.

With the weather still providing good conditions, David away enjoying the offerings of a cooler climate and Julie hard at work earning a living, I was short a dive buddy for a few days this week.  Luckily, Patrik Good came up from Brisbane to check out the local species and we were able to venture out to the reefs off Currimundi Lake.  We spent most of our time diving along the ledge.

Number of species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive
*Species with highest specimen count (dead heat this dive)

Aplysia parvula -/1
Ardeadoris aff. averni 1/1
Bornella anguilla 2/2
Chelidonura inornata 1/-
Chromodoris elisabethina 1/-
Chromodoris kuiteri 3/2
*Chromodoris splendida 3/5
Colpodaspis thompsoni 1/-
Dermatobranchus cf. primus -/1
Dermatobranchus ornatus 5/1
*Doriprismatica atromarginata 5/3
Flabellina rubrolineata 2/1
Glossodoris vespa -/1
Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus -/1
Goniobranchus decorus -/1
Goniobranchus reticulatus -/1
Gymnodoris alba 1/-
Hoplodoris nodulosa -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 4/1
Hypselodoris obscura 5/2
Jorunna parva -/1
Noumea norba -/1
Noumea simplex 1/-
Phyllidia exquisita 2/2
Phyllidia ocellata 1/2
Phyllidiella lizae 3/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa 3/3
Phyllodesmium macphersonae -/1
Pleurolidia juliae 1/-
Pteraeolidia ianthina -/1
Roboastra luteolineata -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 4/3
Trinchesia sp. 3 1/-

 Trinchesia sp. 3

 Too small (<2mm) to identify

 Phyllodesmium macphersonae

 Pleurolidia juliae

 Colpodaspis thompsoni

 Dermatobranchus ornatus

 Noumea norba

 Jorunna parva
 
 Noumea simplex

 Chromodoris kuiteri

 Flabellina rubrolineata

 Phyllidiella pustulosa 

 Hoplodoris nodulosa

 Ardeadoris aff. averni

 Doriprismatica atromarginata

Chromodoris splendida

Friday, April 25, 2014

Species list Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast 21-04-14

29 species found at Currimundi. Julie and Terry on this trip (David was still off enjoying the temperate climes of Tasmania). 2 x 70 min dives at Nudi Ledge, 1 x 25min dive at Horseshoe Bay and 1 x 57min dive at Shelly at Dickys in water depths from 7m to 17m, water temp 23 C, viz 10m.

Astounded at the unusually great Easter weather, Terry and Julie ventured forth on Good Friday for a spot of fishing out to Caloundra 9 Mile. The water out there was tropical deep blue, but with the bottom at 63m is a little beyond our preferred diving depth limits. So thus on Monday we headed to Currimundi for some diving. The water was not as clear, however with around 10m of viz was more than ample. Following 2 relaxing dives at Nudi Ledge with no surge, we decided to revisit a shallow spot (Horseshoe Bay) we had not been to for quite for some time. Although the swell was small, at only 7m depth the surge was uncomfortable, so despite the great viz and lovely healthy substrate, we called the dive after 25min and headed off the Shelly at Dickys. We opted to dive a slightly different location to normal which was not as rich with nudibranchs, but none the less interesting (and no surge).

Number of species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive/3rd dive/4th dive
* Species with highest specimen count

Ardeadoris aff. averni 1
Bornella anguilla 2
Cadlinella ornatissima 1
Chromodoris kuiteri 3/2
Chromodoris splendida 1/1/-/2
Dermatobranchus ornatus 1/4/1/2
*Doriprismatica atromarginata 5/10/-/4
Goniobranchus collingwoodi -/1
Goniobranchus geometricus  /2
Goniodoridella savignyi 1
Gymnodoris alba 1
Haminoea sp. 4 1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 5/1
Hypselodoris obscura 2/1/-/5
Hypselodoris sagamiensis 1
Jorunna parva 2/2
Mexichromis festiva -/-/3/-
Mexichromis macropus -/-/-/1
Phyllidia ocellata 1/2/-/2
Phyllidia picta 1
Phyllidiella lizae 2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 4/2
Phyllidiopsis burni -/1
Phyllodesmium sp. 2 (Genus) -/1
Pteraeolidia ianthina 1/2/-/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 2/4/1/-
Thuridilla carlsoni 1
Trinchesia ornata 1
Tritoniopsis alba 1/2

 Surface conditions

 Substrate Nudi Ledge

 Sagaminopteron ornatum

 Bornella anguilla

 Chromodoris kuiteri

Ardeadoris aff. averni

 Chromodoris splendida

 Tritoniopsis alba

  Phyllidia picta

 Phyllidiella lizae

 Jorunna parva

 Haminoea sp. 4

 Phyllodesmium sp. 2

Substrate Horseshoe Bay

Goniodoridella savignyi
 Gymnodoris alba

 Trinchesia ornata

 Cadlinella ornatissima

 Goniobranchus collingwoodi

Mexichromis macropus