Saturday, February 15, 2014

Species List: Nudi - 2, Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast, 11-02-2014

35 species found at Nudi-2, Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast.
Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 87 minute & 1 x 83 minute dives in water depths of 14 m to 17 m. 15+ m viz, 25C water temp and no surge except for some slight effect along the top of the ledge.

This is an interesting site located in the Currimundi Reef zone. The substrate varies from sand to rock plateaus with shallow trenches in-between, large rocky boulders and a crescent shaped wall that wraps around a sandy zone. The population of Dermatobranchus ornatus continues to give the highest specimen count. The prize for the weirdest find of the day goes to a specimen of Phyllodesmium magnum that had no head. Obviously lost in an encounter with a fish, crab or worm. It was collected and observed to crawl around the dish and wave its cerata about but of course could not feed.

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

Ardeadoris rubroannulata 1/1
Berthella martensi 1/-
Bornella anguilla 1/-
Chromodoris kuiteri -/3
Chromodoris splendida 1/1
Chromodoris striatella -/1
Cratena lineata 1/1
Crimora edwardsi 1/-
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 1/1
* Dermatobranchus ornatus 12/3
Dermatobranchus rodmani 1/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata -/3
Doto rosacea -/1
Doto sp. 5 -/1
Elysia maoria -/1
Goniobranchus daphne 1/-
Hypselodoris bullockii -/1
Hypselodoris obscura 3/1
Jorunna sp. 3 2/-
Marionia cyanobranchiata 1/-
Phyllidia elegans -/1
Phyllidia ocellata 3/5
Phyllidia picta  -/1
Phyllidia varicosa 1/-
Phyllidiella lizae -/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa -/4
Phyllidiopsis burni -/1
Phyllodesmium magnum 1/-
Phyllodesmium sp. 2 1/-
Protaeolidia juliae 1/-
Pteraeolidia ianthina 5/3
Roboastra luteolineata 5/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 5/2
Tritoniopsis alba 1/1
Trinchesia sp. 3 -/1

The flag float bobs around on the surface

A richly covered substrate

Checking out one of the shallow gutters


Pteraeolidia ianthina

Bornella anguilla amongst the hydroids

Berthella martensi

Protaeolidia juliae

Goniobranchus daphne

Chromodoris splendida

Marionia cyanobranchiata

Roboastra luteolineata

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Phyllidia varicosa

Phyllidia ocellata

Phyllidia elegans

Hypselodoris obscura

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Hypselodoris bullockii

Phyllidiella lizae

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Trinchesia sp. 3 

Phyllodesmium sp. 2

Phyllodesmium sp. 2 in the lab


Chromodoris kuiteri 

Phyllidia picta

Elysia maoria

Chromodoris striatella

Terry hovering over the substrate

Looks interesting over there

Gotcha! Capturing the moment

Ardeadoris rubroannulata

Dermatobranchus cf. primus

Crimora edwardsi

Jorunna sp. 3

Dermatobranchus rodmani

Tritoniopsis alba

Cratena lineata 

Roboastra luteolineata

Doto sp. 5 - in the lab

Doto sp. 5 - in the lab

Doto rosacea - in the lab


Phyllodesmium magnum - headless