Sunday, February 18, 2018

Species List: 16-02-2018, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld

11 species sighted at La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 16-02-2018.

A single shore entry dive by Terry and David of 146 minutes. Maximum depth 6.1 m, 27 C water temperature and 4 m viz.

A little way upstream from the previous dive and absolutely no Unidentia of any type sighted. We were fortunate however to find two specimens of a new species for the Sunshine Coast (and Mooloolah River) in Goniodoridella sp. 7. This has been on the Goniodoridella sp. 5 page as a variation, for six months, but now that we have found more specimens and been able to examine it more closely we can confirm it is a new species - different extrabranchial processes, a white foot (not red spotted) and a different colour pattern. Facelina sp. 11 is not a common species but 10 specimens were sighted on this dive most of which appeared to be hunting out on the sand.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Cratena simba -1
Facelina sp. 11 -10
Flabellina rubrolineata -5
Goniobranchus daphne -3
Goniobranchus decorus -1
* Goniodoridella sp. 1 -12
Goniodoridella sp. 7 -2 (New species)
Gymnodoris sp. 9 -1
Hypselodoris obscura -11
Pteraeolidia semperi -6
Tenellia sibogae -1

Cratena simba 

Pteraeolidia semperi 

Facelina sp. 11

Goniodoridella sp. 7 - New species

Gymnodoris sp. 9

Hypselodoris obscura

Flabellina rubrolineata

Goniobranchus decorus

Goniobranchus daphne

Goniodoridella sp. 1