Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Species List: La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, 07-06-2014

14 species sighted at La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast.

Julie, Terry, and David on this single shore entry dive of 99 minutes in depths to 6.5m. 6m viz, 23C water temp and very little current due to the small high tide.

We may have found a new species of Gymnodoris for our list but will have to sort through the mess these are in taxonomically. We believe there are a number of cryptic species in amongst those lumped under the Gymnodoris alba name. The other point of interest is that one of the Pleurobranchus weberi specimens was orange/red rather than the standard port-wine colour we have been seeing here.

Number of species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Analogium amakusanum 3
Bulbaeolidia alba 1
Cratena simba 1
Elysia cf. furvacauda 1
Goniobranchus daphne 1
Goniodoridella savignyi 1
Goniodoridella sp. 1 9
Gymnodoris sp. ? 1 (possible new species)
Hypselodoris obscura 3
Phidiana bourailli 1
Pleurobranchus weberi 3
* Pteraeolidia ianthina 21
Trinchesia sp. 23 2
Trinchesia sibogae 4

Gymnodoris sp. ? (possible new species)

Under the microscope

Phidiana bourailli

Phidiana bourailli

Elysia cf. furvacauda

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Hypselodoris obscura

Trinchesia sp. 23

Cratena simba

Pteraeolidia ianthina

A pair of Pleurobranchus weberi 
resting in a crevice

Bulbaeolidia alba

Trinchesia sibogae

Analogium amakusanum

Pleurobranchus weberi