Sunday, May 4, 2014

Species List: Yaroomba Beach, Point Arkwright, Coolum, Sunshine Coast, 03-05-2014

14 species found on a single shore dive at Yaroomba Beach, Point Arkwright, Coolum, Sunshine Coast.
Julie, Jodie (Reef Check), Terry and David on this 96 minute dive to depths of 8.5 m. Viz to 4m, 22C water temp and very slight surge.

Westerly winds bring with them the rare opportunity to dive from open ocean beaches enabling us to examine a habitat denied us for most of the year. The swim was quite long but not difficult. The first species spotted was Gymnodoris alba and in substantial numbers for these opisthobranch hunters. We were not able however to spot which species they were feeding upon.

* Species with the highest specimen count

Bornella anguilla 1
Bulbaeolidia alba 1
Chromodoris splendida 3
Dendrodoris fumata 2
Elysia pusilla 1
Gymnodoris alba 10
Hypselodoris obscura 2
Mexichromis trilineata 1
Miamira magnifica 1
Phyllidiella lizae 1
* Pteraeolidia ianthina 12
Spurilla braziliana 1
Trinchesia sibogae 1
Tritoniopsis alba 1

Surface conditions on the swim out

Tritoniopsis alba

Elysia pusilla 

Gymnodoris alba

Trinchesia sibogae

Chromodoris splendida

Miamira magnifica

Bornella anguilla

Spurilla braziliana

Spurilla braziliana

A minuscule Mexichromis trilineata on the glove

A pair of Dendrodoris fumata

Hypselodoris obscura

Pteraeolidia ianthina