SpeciesList: NW Reef, Old Woman Island, 15-12-2013

28 species found at NW Reef Old Woman Island, Sunshine Coast.
2 dives each of about 58 minutes in water depths of 9m to 12m, 3m viz and 24c water temp. Considerable surge at times.

THE SUNREEF DECEMBER NUDIBRANCH DIVES

Julie, Terry & David guided some enthusiastic nudibranch hunters.
The long legs of Sunreef's dive boat 2 EZY took us comfortably out to our dive site. We asked the keen nudibranch lovers who joined us on this escapade if they wanted a nice cushy dive or did they want to find lots of nudibranchs. The chorus went up: "We want nudibranchs!". It was explained to them that if they could endure low viz and a bit of surge there would be heaps to see at Old Woman Island. The material in the water that produces the low viz provides the food for the creatures that nudibranchs eat so that's where they are to be found in great diversity. We ran out the dive reel upon the substrate for 40 metres and worked up and down it either side giving us a point of reference and also so we could all stay in contact and show each other what we found. 28 different species of sea slug were sighted all up - a most successful effort taking the viz and surge into consideration. The numbers shown for each species do not reflect all of those sighted as we were concentrating on variety and the surge and particles in the water were not conducive to the best photography.

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

Bulbaeolidia alba -/1
Chromodoris splendida 2/-
Dendrodoris denisoni -/1
Diversidoris crocea 2/-
*Doriprismatica atromarginata 4/5
Doris sp. 1 -/1
Elysia maoria -/3
Glossodoris vespa -/2
Goniobranchus albonares -/1
Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus 1/-
Goniobranchus daphne 2/-
Goniobranchus geometricus -/1
Gymnodoris alba -/1
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/-
Hypselodoris bullockii -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni -/4
Hypselodoris obscura 1/1
Jorunna sp. 3 1/-
Mexichromis trilineata -/1
Miamira sinuata -/1
Phyllidia ocellata -/1
Phyllidiella lizae -/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa 2/2
Pleurobranchus peronii 1/-
Roboastra luteolineata 1/-
Tayuva lilacina 1/-
Thuridilla splendens 3/1
Tritoniopsis alba -/1

Thuridilla splendens

Chromodoris splendida

Pleurobranchus peronii

Roboastra luteolineata

Goniobranchus daphne

Diversidoris crocea

Hexabranchus sanguineus - juvenile

Hypselodoris obscura

Phyllidia ocellata

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Gymnodoris alba

Miamira sinuata

Glossodoris vespa

Hypselodoris bullockii

Dendrodoris denisoni

Tritoniopsis alba

Goniobranchus albonares

Bulbaeolidia alba

Tayuva lilacina

Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus

Mexichromis trilineata

Elysia maoria

Doris sp. 1 

Goniobranchus geometricus

Elysia maoria - lighter coloured

Species List: Flinders Reef, East, 14-12-2013

22 species found at Flinders Reef - Eastern side (SE of Aladdin's), off Cape Moreton, Southern Queensland.
Terry, Julie & David on this excursion comprising 1 x 68 minute & 1 x 62 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 19m. 12m viz, 21C water temp (cool for this time of year).

The Weather Gods were still smiling upon us so we decided to take Mischief out to Flinders Reef to see what we could find. We enjoyed a dead calm crossing of Moreton Bay but ran into short steep seas on the northern face of Moreton Island. Our concerns of inhospitable conditions on the eastern side of Flinders Reef because of this were unfounded although a small swell was running but happily no current. We decided to dive on a slightly deeper site to help mitigate the surge.

The species count was not high but we believe we have found an undescribed species of Halgerda new to our list.

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

Aegires flores -/1
Bornella anguilla 1/-
Chelidonura inornata 1/1
Chromodoris elisabethina 2/2
Chromodoris lochi 4/-
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 2/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata -/1
Goniobranchus roboi -/1
Halgerda cf. willeyi -/1
Halgerda sp. 2 1/- (New species)
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni -/1
Hypselodoris maculosa 1/-
*Jorunna sp. 3 2/3
Mexichromis trilineata -/1
Phyllidia ocellata -/1
Phyllidiella lizae -/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa -/1
Phyllidiopsis fissurata -/1
Thorunna daniellae -/1
Thuridilla cf. gracilis 1/2
Thuridilla neona 2/-

Surface conditions - west towards the reef

Cape Moreton

Bornella anguilla

Chromodoris elisabethina

Chromodoris lochi

Hypselodoris maculosa

Phyllidiopsis fissurata

At the end of the reel

The substrate

Hexabranchus sanguineus - juvenile

Jorunna sp. 3

Phyllidia ocellata

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Goniobranchus roboi - juvenile

Halgerda cf. willeyi

Halgerda sp. 2 - new species

Dermatobranchus cf. primus

Thuridilla cf. gracilis

Thuridilla neona

Mexichromis trilineata 

Aegires flores

Chelidonura inornata

Species List: Nudi Ledge, 13-12-2013

35 species found at Nudi Ledge, Currimundi, Sunshine Coast.
Terry and David on this excursion comprising 1 x 84 minute & 1 x 77 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 18m. 5m viz, 22C water temp and no surge.

The run of good weather continues and we would be mad not to take advantage of it considering the bad weather that plagued us through winter and spring. The Caloundra bar was so flat it was difficult to ascertain the channel on the trip out. We particularly like this site because of the range of species also to be found on the silty substrate that runs right up to a 2m high rocky wall and plateau that are covered in all manner of sessile growth. The specimens of Pleurobranchus peronii were very large. Although Doriprismatica atromarginata wins the official count we do believe the numerous Dermatobranchus cf. primus in the silt probably outnumbered them if we had taken the time to photograph them all. Facelina sp. 6 was a good find as too was the Trinchesia sp. that although it had lost many of its cerata is a new find for us.

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

Aegires flores -/2
Berthella martensi -/1
Bulbaeolidia alba -/1
Cratena lineata -/1
Chromodoris kuiteri -/1
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 8/6
Dermatobranchus ornatus 6/5
Diversidoris flava 1/-
*Doriprismatica atromarginata 9/7
Facelina sp. 6 -/1
Goniobranchus collingwoodi 2/-
Goniobranchus tinctorius 1/-
Gymnodoris alba 2/2
Hoplodoris nodulosa -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 1/4
Hypselodoris maritima -/1
Hypselodoris obscura 1/-
Hypselodoris sagamiensis 1/-
Jorunna sp. 3 1/1
Mexichromis festiva 1/-
Phyllidia ocellata 2/2
Phyllidia varicosa -/1
Phyllidiella lizae -/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa 2/1
Phyllidiopsis cardinalis 1/-
Phyllodesmium crypticum 1/-
Phyllodesmium magnum 1/-
Phyllodesmium macphersonae 1/1
Pleurobranchus peronii -/2
Pteraeolidia ianthina -/1
Roboastra luteolineata 3/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum -/2
Trinchesia sp. 21 1/- (new species)
Tritoniopsis alba 1/-
Tylodina corticalis 5/1

Surface conditions

Mexichromis festiva

Dermatobranchus cf. primus - 

many small specimens on the silt

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Tritoniopsis alba

Roboastra luteolineata

Hypselodoris sagamiensis

Diversidoris flava

Goniobranchus collingwoodi

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Dermatobranchus cf. primus

Pleurobranchus peronii - 

two very large specimens sighted

Hypselodoris maritima

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Aegires flores

Pteraeolidia ianthina

Hoplodoris nodulosa

Berthella martensi - some mantle 

segments autotomized exposing the gill.

Phyllidia varicosa

Trinchesia sp. 21 (new species) - 

many cerata had been autotomized.

Facelina sp. 6

Tylodina corticalis - 

two's company three's....

Jorunna sp. 3

Gymnodoris alba

Phyllidiopsis cardinalis

Goniobranchus tinctorius - white spots 

on a red background rather than a red 

reticulation on a white background.

Phyllodesmium magnum

Phyllodesmium macphersonae - 

ploughing through the growth.

Dermatobranchus ornatus - demonstrating 

why we are seeing so many of these lately.

Phyllodesmium crypticum

Cratena lineata

Bulbaeolidia alba

Hypselodoris jacksoni