Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Species List: 02-05-2017, Shellacey Reef, Gneering Shoals, off Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

32 species sighted at Shellacey Reef, Gneering Shoals, off Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 02-05-2017.

Gary and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 79 minute and 1 x 76 minute dives in water depths from 14 m to 17 m. 15 m viz, 23 C water temp and no surge.

A smaller dive team headed out to the Gneerings in almost perfect weather and the dive conditions promised the same. It was a joy to dive without struggling against the surge. A wonderful cross section of sea slugs were sighted with all but two being true nudibranchs. For a short time we held high hopes of a new species for the list but we have now resolved to call it a juvenile specimen of our Sclerodoris sp. 4.

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

Aegires gardineri 1/-
Cadlinella ornatissima -/1
* Chromodoris elisabethina 7/13
Chromodoris kuiteri 1/1
Chromodoris magnifica 1/1
Cratena lineata 2/-
Dermatobranchus fortunatus 1/-
Dermatobranchus rodmani 1/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata 5/2
Glossodoris vespa -/1
Goniobranchus collingwoodi 1/-
Goniobranchus decorus -/1
Goniobranchus geometricus -/1
Goniobranchus splendidus 1/1
Goniobranchus sp. 2 -/1
Gymnodoris alba 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 3/1
Hypselodoris maculosa 4/1
Hypselodoris obscura 1/-
Mexichromis trilineata 2/-
Phyllidia ocellata -/1
Phyllidia varicosa -/2
Phyllidiella annulata -/1
Phyllidiella lizae 1/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 1/4
Phyllidiopsis cardinalis 2/-
Sclerodoris sp. 4 -/1
Tenellia sp. 33 4/4
Thorunna daniellae -/1
Thuridilla splendens 1/4
Tritoniopsis elegans 1/-
Tylodina corticalis -/1

Tritoniopsis elegans

Chromodoris kuiteri

Phyllidiopsis cardinalis - a little one

Goniobranchus collingwoodi

Aegires gardineri 

Chromodoris magnifica

Cratena lineata

Hypselodoris maculosa

Thuridilla splendens

Thorunna daniellae

Tenellia sp. 33

Goniobranchus geometricus

Phyllidiella annulata

Substrate

Chromodoris elisabethina

Mexichromis trilineata

Phyllidiopsis cardinalis - a big one

Dermatobranchus fortunatus

A slime of sea slugs

Hypselodoris jacksoni 

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Phyllidiella lizae

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Hypselodoris obscura 

Many hard and soft corals

Surface conditions

Phyllidia ocellata 

Glossodoris vespa

Goniobranchus decorus

Sclerodoris sp. 4 - a juvenile at 7 mm long

Sclerodoris sp. 4 (on black)

Phyllidia varicosa