Species List: Shellacey Reef, Gneering Shoals, off Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, 25-01-2014

27 species found at Shellacey Reef, Gneering Shoals, off Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast.
Terry, Julie & David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 90 minute & 1 x 80 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 18m. 15m viz, 26C water temp and a light surge.

What an incredible change this was to the water clarity of earlier in the week when we were just a few kilometres to the south. The water was a deep blue and we could see the substrate from the surface. Surface conditions were also ideal becoming calmer as the morning progressed. The phyllidiids (7 species) were out in force but the aeolids in short supply. Highlights included Mexichromis macropus, Marionia cyanobranchiata & Chelidonura hirundinina - all beautiful species.

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

Aegires flores 1/-
Berthellina citrina 2/-
Chelidonura hirundinina 1/-
Chelidonura inornata 1/1
Chromodoris elisabethina 4/4
Chromodoris kuiteri 2/2
Chromodoris splendida 2/-
Chromodoris striatella 1/-
Chromodoris strigata 1/-
Dermatobranchus ornatus 4/-
* Doriprismatica atromarginata 6/6
Flabellina rubrolineata -/1
Glossodoris vespa 1/-
Hypselodoris godeffroyana 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 5/-
Marionia cyanobranchiata -/1
Mexichromis macropus 1/-
Mexichromis trilineata 1/-
Phyllidia elegans 2/1
Phyllidia exquisita -/1
Phyllidia ocellata 1/-
Phyllidia varicosa 2/5
Phyllidiella lizae 2/3
Phyllidiella pustulosa -/9
Phyllidiopsis burni 1/1
Phyllodesmium macphersonae 1/-
Thuridilla splendens -/1

Sea and Sky

Chelidonura hirundinina

Chelidonura hirundinina

Hypselodoris godeffroyana

Aegires flores 

Dermatobranchus ornatus - 

chowing down on the soft corals

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Phyllidia exquisita

Mexichromis trilineata

Substrate

Substrate

Terry - Hangin' out

Phyllidia elegans

Glossodoris vespa

Phyllodesmium macphersonae - 

buried in the undergrowth

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Chromodoris strigata

Chromodoris striatella

Berthellina citrina

Mexichromis macropus

Phyllidiella lizae

Phyllidiopsis burni

Phyllidia varicosa

Chromodoris splendida

Chelidonura inornata

Chromodoris kuiteri

Flabellina rubrolineata - appeared to 

have its oral tentacles nipped off

Marionia cyanobranchiata

Species List: Nudi Ledge & C2, Currimundi, Sunshine Coast, 21-01-2014

8 species found at Nudi Ledge & C2, Currimundi, Sunshine Coast.
Terry and David on this excursion comprising a 1st dive of 37 minutes at Nudi Ledge and a 2nd dive of 34 minutes at C2 (Currimundi wide). Water depths ranged from 14m to 21m.Viz: at 1 metre the white of a divers tank was just discernible. Water temp: 26C. Surge: Heavy.

With Terry at the helm the Caloundra Bar was judiciously negotiated and the trip to site was uneventful. Descending the anchor line we almost crashed face first into the substrate due to the extreme particle load in the water. The light was eerie and disorientation was a real threat so we stayed within arms length of the dive reel line except when the surge picked us up and tossed us to one side. We did rather well with the species count considering the extreme conditions. The second dive was undertaken further offshore (and deeper) looking for better conditions but alas it was not to be.

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

Chromodoris splendida 1/-
* Dermatobranchus ornatus 1/3
Dermatobranchus cf. primus -/1
* Doriprismatica atromarginata 4/-
Goniobranchus geometricus -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 2/-
Noumea alboannulata -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 2/-

The heavy particle load on the bottom

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Dermatobranchus cf. primus

Noumea alboannulata

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Juvenile Hypselodoris jacksoni

Goniobranchus geometricus

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Surface conditions - the wind increases and the seas 

start to rise - a following sea on the trip home

Species List: Nudi Ledge, Currimundi, Sunshine Coast,15-01-2014

23 species found at Nudi Ledge, Currimundi, Sunshine Coast.
Terry and David on this excursion comprising 1 x 86 minute and 1 x 79 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 18m. 5m viz, 25C water temp and lots of surge.

Feeling just a little adventurous and tired of waiting for the perfect weather forecast we decided the wind and waves would be manageable and so it was as we traversed the Caloundra Bar without incident. The seas were short and steep at 1.5m on top of a 1.5m swell making our trip slow with many "holes" to be avoided. Once in the water and on the bottom however it all became worth the effort. Although the surge obviously limited our species count it's all about the joy of the search and the expectation rather than the count. Highlights included the very large Marionia cyanobranchiata, the Elysia pusilla that posed for us nicely and the two Phyllodesmium sp. 2 coaxed out of the substrate. It also proved to be a good shakedown for Terry's new chart-plotter/depth sounder with the latest touch screen operation.

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

Aegires flores -/1
Bornella anguilla -/2
Chromodoris kuiteri -/1
Cratena lineata -/1
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 2/1
Dermatobranchus ornatus 3/5
* Doriprismatica atromarginata 4/7
Elysia pusilla 1/-
Goniobranchus albonares 1/1
Goniobranchus albopunctatus -/1
Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus -/2
Hypselodoris bullockii -/2
Marionia cyanobranchiata 1/-
Phyllidia ocellata 5/4
Phyllidia picta -/1
Phyllidiella lizae -/3
Phyllidiella pustulosa 1/1
Phyllodesmium magnum 1/-
Phyllodesmium sp. 2 -/2
Pteraeolidia ianthina 1/-
Roboastra luteolineata -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 3/6
Tritoniopsis alba 1/2

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Pteraeolidia ianthina 

Marionia cyanobranchiata - head shot

Marionia cyanobranchiata

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Phyllidia picta

Elysia pusilla

Dermatobranchus cf. primus

Goniobranchus albopunctatus

Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus

Hypselodoris bullockii

Tritoniopsis alba