Species List: DropOff, Currimundi Reef, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast, 05-10-2014

34 species sighted at DropOff, Currimundi Reef, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast.

Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 76 minute & 1 x 70 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 19m. 22C water temp, 10m viz and some surge.

On our way to dive another site on Currimundi Reef we noticed the depth sounder show a sudden drop off and decided to check it out. The drop off turned out to be a bluff that fell away steeply into the sand. We came away with the feeling that considering the growth on the substrate we should have seen more species than we did so it came as somewhat of a surprise that the final count was as high as 34. Finds of interest included the rarely sighted dorid Goniobranchus leopardus and the stunning aeolid Babakina indopacifica.

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

Ardeadoris aff. averni 1/-
Ardeadoris rubroannulata 1/2
Babakina indopacifica 1/-
Berthella martensi 2/1
Dermatobranchus ornatus 1/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 2/6
Elysia sp. 5 1/-
Glossodoris vespa 2/-
Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus 3/-
Goniobranchus geometricus 1/-
Goniobranchus leopardus 1/-
Goniobranchus splendidus 4/3
Haminoea sp. 1 -/4
Hermaea sp. 2 -/2
Hermaea sp. 7 -/3
Hexabranchus sanguineus -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 2/1
Hypselodoris obscura 2/2
Hypselodoris sagamiensis 1/1
Ilbia ilbi -/4
Nembrotha lineolata -/1
Nembrotha purpureolineata 1/-
Noumea norba -/1
Phyllidia ocellata 3/-
Phyllidiella lizae 2/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa -/3
Roboastra luteolineata -/1
Runcina sp. 2 -/2
Runcina sp. 5 -/1
*Sagaminopteron ornatum 6/3
Tambja tenuilineata 3/-
Tambja victoriae 1/1
Tritoniopsis alba 2/1
Tylodina corticalis 1/2

Surface conditions

Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Goniobranchus splendidus

Phyllidia ocellata

Hypselodoris obscura

Goniobranchus leopardus

Ardeadoris aff. averni

Phyllidiella lizae

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Hexabranchus sanguineus

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Ardeadoris rubroannulata

Nembrotha lineolata

Tritoniopsis alba

Hermaea sp. 7

Runcina sp. 2 

Runcina sp. 5 

Substrate

Surface conditions between dives

Berthella martensi

Roboastra luteolineata

Noumea norba

Glossodoris vespa

Goniobranchus geometricus

Hypselodoris sagamiensis

Ardeadoris rubroannulata

Babakina indopacifica

Tambja tenuilineata

Elysia sp. 5 

Nembrotha purpureolineata

Tambja victoriae

Haminoea sp. 1

Ilbia ilbi 

Species List: Nudi Ledge, Currimundi Reef, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast, 03-10-2014

31 species sighted at Nudi Ledge, Currimundi Reef, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast.

Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 85 minute and 1 x 73 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 17m. 12m viz, 21C water temp, some surge.

We enjoyed almost perfect surface conditions with no current however the swell whilst appearing deceptively small during our trip out betrayed its presence by breaking upon the shallower parts of Currimundi Reef referred to as Raper Shoal. It had no significant effect upon our search but was just enough to make composition of subjects a little difficult at times. The two new species of Hermaea - sp. 6 and sp. 7 on our list are delightful finds.

Number of each species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive

* Species with highest specimen count

  

Bornella anguilla 2/1

Cadlinella ornatissima 1/-

Chromodoris kuiteri 3/4

Costasiella kuroshimae 3/-

Dermatobranchus ornatus 3/2

*Doriprismatica atromarginata 18/18

Elysia maoria 1/1

Elysia sp. 5 2/-

Glossodoris rufomarginata -/1

Glossodoris vespa  2/1

Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus -/1

Goniobranchus kuniei -/1

Hermaea sp. 6 -/2 (New species)

Hermaea sp. 7 -/2 (New species)

Hypselodoris bullockii 1/-

Hypselodoris jacksoni 3/1

Hypselodoris obscura  1/4

Hypselodoris sagamiensis 1/1

Lobiger souverbii 1/-

Oxynoe viridis 3/1

Phyllidia ocellata 3/2

Phyllidia varicosa -/2

Phyllidiella lizae -/1

Phyllidiella pustulosa 8/3

Protaeolidiella juliae -/2

Pteraeolidia ianthina 1/-

Runcina sp. 5

Sagaminopteron ornatum 13/14

Tambja tenuilineata 2/-

Trapania vitta 1/-

Tylodina corticalis  -/2

Substrate

Hypselodoris obscura

Sagaminopteron ornatum - a gaggle

Glossodoris vespa

Lobiger souverbii

Hypselodoris sagamiensis

Phyllidia varicosa

Bornella anguilla

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Phyllidia ocellata

Chromodoris kuiteri

Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Goniobranchus kuniei

Glossodoris rufomarginata 

- note brown speckling on dorsum

Hermaea sp. 7 (New species)

Hermaea sp. 6 (New species)

Surface conditions - swell breaking 

on Raper Shoal

Cadlinella ornatissima

Pteraeolidia ianthina

Elysia sp. 5

Tambja tenuilineata

Costasiella kuroshimae

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Terry spots a subject. Notice the sandy substrate 

where the reef ledge drops away.

Hypselodoris bullockii

Oxynoe viridis

Elysia maoria

Protaeolidiella juliae

Tylodina corticalis

Runcina sp. 5

Trapania vitta