Nudibranch Central

Monday, March 20, 2017

Species List: 17-03-2017, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland

8 species sighted at La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 17-03-2017.

Gary solo on this single shore entry dive, of 181 minutes. Maximum depth 6.5 m, 27 C water temperature and up to 6 m viz.

Dispite the rain and weather there was very little current on this dive and the water pretty clean. It was quite nice running into the large and numerous Flabellina rubrolineata. These animals were up to 60 mm

Number of species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count.

Cratena lineata -1
* Flabellina rubrolineata -29
Goniobranchus daphne -4
Goniobranchus splendidus -1
Goniobranchus verrieri -2
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -7
Hypselodoris obscura -7
Pteraeolidia semperi -2

Entry point and surface conditions

Flabellina rubrolineata

Substrate and locals

Flabellina rubrolineata

The marker

Goniobranchus verrieri

Goniobranchus daphne

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Hypselodoris obscura

Goniobranchus daphne

Hypselodoris obscura mating pair

Flabellina rubrolineata

Pteraeolidia semperi

Flabellina rubrolineata a pair with egg masses

Flabellina rubrolineata head shot

Flabellina rubrolineata

Flabellina rubrolineata egg mass

Hypselodoris obscura

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Species List: 12-03-2017, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland

12 species sighted at La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 12-03-2017.

Julie, Terry and David on this single shore entry dive, of 144 minutes. Maximum depth 6.3 m, 26 C water temperature and up to 8 m viz.

It was good to be back in the water again after a break dictated by obligations, weather, mechanical failure and health issues. Conditions were the best we had experienced for some time. Whilst we did not sight as many species as usual we were rewarded with a new find - Pleurobranchus grandis - grand by name and grand by appearance. Some tiny Flabellina angelvaldesi were spotted and it is our hope that they are making a come back to the river. A most enjoyable outing.

Number of species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count.

Cratena simba -1
Dermatobranchus sp. 7 -1
Flabellina angelvaldesi -3
* Flabellina rubrolineata -6
Goniobranchus aureopurpureus -1
Goniobranchus daphne -3
Goniodoridella savignyi -2
* Goniodoridella sp. 1 -6
Hypselodoris obscura -2
Philinopsis falciphallus -1
Pleurobranchus grandis -1 New species
Pteraeolidia semperi -1

The "Pillars of Grandis"

Beacon pile with sunburst

Flabellina rubrolineata with spawn

Goniodoridella savignyi

Dermatobranchus sp. 7

Goniobranchus aureopurpureus

Flabellina angelvaldesi

Pleurobranchus grandis - new species

Cratena simba

Flabellina rubrolineata - just about
to nip off a hydroid polyp

Goniobranchus daphne

Monday, March 13, 2017

Species List: 12-03-2017, Shellacey Reef, Gneering Shoals, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland

34 species sighted at Shellacey Reef, Gneering Shoals, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 12-03-2017

Gary, Elliot and Jens on this double dive, of 60 minutes each. Maximum depth 18.5 m, 27 C water temperature, 20+ m vis.

The conditions were nearly as perfect as you could want for diving. Sunny day, hardly any surge and great vis. The number of species was as it should be at this site - high! Finding Thorunna sp. 5 again was nice. And it was also great to see Chromodoris elisabethina as most popular.

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

Aegires flores -/1
Aegires gardineri 1/-
Ardeadoris rubroannulata 1/1
Ceratosoma tenue 2/-
Chelidonura inornata 2/1
* Chromodoris elisabethina 1/12
Chelidonura hirundinina 1/-
Chromodoris kuiteri 1/2
Chromodoris magnifica -/2
Doriprismatica atromarginata 3/6
Flabellina bicolor -/1
Flabellina rubrolineata 1/1
Glossodoris vespa 2/-
Goniobranchus geometricus 1/-
Goniobranchus splendidus 3/1
Halgerda aurantiomaculata -/1
Hexabranchus sanguineus -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 1/3
Hypselodoris maculosa 1/1
Hypselodoris sp. 2 2/-
Hypselodoris sp. 4 1/-
Jorunna sp. 3 1/-
Mexichromis trilineata 1/-
Phyllidia elegans -/1
Phyllidia exquisita -/1
Phyllidia ocellata 1/-
Phyllidia picta -/1
Phyllidiella lizae -/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 2/2
Sagaminopteron psychedelicum 1/-
Thorunna daniellae 1/-
Thorunna sp. 5 -/1
Thuridilla splendens 2/1
Tritoniopsis elegans -/2