Species List: Crete and Nudi Ledge, Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 31-07-2015

34 species total, sighted at Crete and Nudi Ledge, both on Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast.

Julie, Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 2 dives.
1st dive at Crete of 84 minutes in water depths of 17 to 19 m. 10 m viz, 19 C water temp, no surge.
2nd dive at Nudi Ledge of 87 minutes in water depths of 14 to 17 m. 10 m viz, 19 C water temp and a little surge.

As more settled conditions prevail our species count is on the upswing. Most of these are fairly commonly encountered except perhaps the large specimen of Aegires gardineri which we have not sighted for some time.

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

Aegires gardineri 1/-
Ardeadoris aff. averni 7/3
Cadlinella ornatissima -/1
Chromodoris kuiteri -/3
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 1/-
Dermatobranchus ornatus 1/3
Dermatobranchus rodmani -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 2/8
Flabellina exoptata 2/-
Flabellina rubrolineata 6/-
Glossodoris vespa  1/2
Goniobranchus albonares 1/-
Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus 1/-
Goniobranchus splendidus 11/2
Goniodoridella savignyi 2/2
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 5/5
Hypselodoris maritima -/1
Hypselodoris obscura 2/3
Hypselodoris sagamiensis 1/-
Mexichromis festiva 1/-
Noumea norba 2/2
Noumea romeri -/1
Phyllidia ocellata 2/1
Phyllidia varicosa 1/1
Phyllidiella lizae 1/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 4/6
Pleurobranchus peronii -/1
Pteraeolidia semperi 2/1
* Sagaminopteron ornatum 20/15
Tambja tenuilineata 1/-
Trinchesia sibogae 3/-
Trinchesia sp. 3 -/1
Tylodina corticalis -/1

Substrate at Crete

Dermatobranchus ornatus - a pair

Hypselodoris sagamiensis

Ardeadoris aff. averni

Noumea norba

Tambja tenuilineata

Hexabranchus sanguineus - a juvenile

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Chromodoris kuiteri

Hypselodoris maritima

Cadlinella ornatissima

Substrate at Nudi Ledge

Goniobranchus splendidus

Goniodoridella savignyi

Phyllidia varicosa

Trinchesia sp. 3

Tylodina corticalis

Pteraeolidia semperi

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Glossodoris vespa

Surface conditions

Pleurobranchus peronii

Noumea romeri

Dermatobranchus rodmani

Trinchesia sibogae

Aegires gardineri

Mexichromis festiva

Flabellina rubrolineata

Species List: Drop Off, Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast, 26-07-2015

34 species sighted at Drop Off, Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast.

Julie, Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 92 minute and 1 x 77 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 17m. 8m viz, 20C water temp, very little surge.

Terry had expressed a desire to return to this site for a better survey. With the nasty swell of Friday having abated we ventured forth over the Caloundra Bar without incident and headed north up to Currimundi Reef. What a complete change in underwater conditions greeted us. The lack of surge made the dives much more comfortable and gave us a marked increase in the species count and their populations. The only disappointment was the lack of sacoglossans of any description. Not a single Thuridilla or Elysia in sight which we are unable to explain given the good coverage of many types of algae upon the substrate.

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

Aegires villosus -/2
Ardeadoris aff. averni 3/3
Ardeadoris rubroannulata 1/-
Bornella anguilla 1/-
Bulbaeolidia alba -/1
Cadlinella ornatissima 1/-
Chromodoris elisabethina 3/-
Chromodoris striatella 1/-
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 1/-
Dermatobranchus ornatus -/1
Dermatobranchus tuberculatus -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 6/3
Flabellina bicolor -/1
Flabellina rubrolineata 1/-
Glossodoris vespa 1/4
Goniobranchus decorus 1/-
Goniobranchus geometricus 1/-
* Goniobranchus splendidus 9/5
Goniodoridella savignyi 1/-
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -/1
Hypselodoris bullockii 2/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 5/6
Hypselodoris sagamiensis -/1

Hypselodoris obscura 7/2
Jorunna sp. 3 -/1
Noumea norba 1/2
Noumea romeri 2/-
Phyllidia ocellata 5/4
Phyllidia varicosa 1/2
Phyllidiella lizae 5/-
Phyllidiella pustulosa 5/2
Phyllidiopsis burni -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 7/6
Tylodina corticalis 1/-

Excellent surface conditions

Phyllidia varicosa

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Noumea norba

Goniobranchus geometricus

Phyllidia ocellata

Hypselodoris bullockii - a pair, tails up 

heads down feeding

Ardeadoris rubroannulata

Chromodoris striatella

Tylodina corticalis

Abundant sessile life on the substrate

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Chromodoris elisabethina

Bornella anguilla

Cadlinella ornatissima

Phyllidiopsis burni

Gymnodoris sp. 10

Hypselodoris sagamiensis

Goniobranchus splendidus

Noumea romeri

Glossodoris vespa

Hypselodoris jacksoni - chowing down 

on a sponge

Goniobranchus decorus

Dermatobranchus tuberculatus

Ardeadoris aff. averni

Aegires villosus - on its specific sponge food

Jorunna sp. 3