Thursday, September 25, 2014

Species List: La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, 20-09-2014

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

Julie, Terry & David on this single shore-entry night dive of 99 minutes in water depths to 6m. 6m viz and 20C water temp.

The weather finally put paid to our good run of reef diving but we are fortunate in being able to fall back on the river until the wet season is upon us again. This time we decided to use the centre set of stairs out of the park into the river. Although we only probably moved about 30m along the shoreline during the dive our finds were nothing short of remarkable. Four species new to our list were found contributing to the nine that we had not seen here in the river before. This site continues to amaze us and probably the most amazing sight was the huge Sebadoris fragilis that was as long and as wide as my whole gloved hand and fingers. Incredible to watch move over the bottom.

Number of each species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Anteaeolidiella cacaotica 1
Atys semistriatus 1 (New species)
Eubranchus sp. 10 1
Facelina sp. 8 1 (New species)
Flabellina rubrolineata 5
Goniobranchus daphne 5
Hypselodoris obscura 4
Ilbia ilbi 1
Lomanotus sp. 4 2 (New species)
Phyllodesmium sp. 4 1
Pleurobranchus grandis 1 (New species)
Pleurobranchus peronii 2
Pleurobranchus weberi 3
Pteraeolidia ianthina 4
Sakuraeolis nungunoides 6
Sebadoris fragilis 1
Trinchesia yamasui 1
*Unidentia angelvaldesi 40+

Substrate - covered in growth

Substrate - boulders in the sandy slit

Sakuraeolis nungunoides

Goniobranchus daphne

Pleurobranchus weberi

Pleurobranchus peronii

Hypselodoris obscura

Anteaeolidiella cacaotica

Sebadoris fragilis - a huge specimen at 180mm

Trinchesia yamasui

Ilbia ilbi

Pleurobranchus grandis (New species)

Lomanotus sp. 4 (New species)

Lomanotus sp. 4

Phyllodesmium sp. 4

Facelina sp. 8 (New species)

Atys semistriatus (New species)

Pteraeolidia ianthina - head shot

Unidentia angelvaldesi - everywhere

Flabellina rubrolineata

Eubranchus sp. 10





Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Species List: Dakota, Currimundi Reef, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast, 19-09-2014

37 species sighted at Dakota, Currimundi Reef, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast.

Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 94 minute and 1 x 82 minute dives in water depths of 13m to 15m. 15m viz, 20C water temp, no surge.

This is a new site for us on Currimundi Reef picked up on the sounder that morning. The underwater terrain reminded Terry of the rolling hills of Dakota (don't know if that is first-hand experience or just a wasted youth watching too many cowboy and indian movies) being a series of gentle folds in the reef with scattered rocks and old coral plates lying in the shallow gutters providing shelter for the more reclusive species. The Goniodoris sp. 3 is a new species to our list. It possesses a very fine edged mantle that is cupped up in an hour glass shape around the rhinophores and gills. Found deep in algal turf.

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

Ardeadoris aff. averni 3/2
Ardeadoris rubroannulata 1/1
Berthella martensi 2/-
Bornella anguilla 1/-
Cadlinella ornatissima -/2
Chelidonura electra -/1
Chromodoris striatella -/5
Colpodaspis thompsoni  1/-
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 1/-
Dermatobranchus ornatus 2/3
Doriprismatica atromarginata 3/6
Elysia sp. 5 -/1
Goniobranchus daphne 2/-
Goniobranchus geometricus 3/3
Goniobranchus splendidus 3/4
Goniodoris sp. 3 -/1 (New species)
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 1/2
Hypselodoris obscura  3/4
Hypselodoris sagamiensis -/1
Ilbia ilbi  -/1
Marionia cyanobranchiata -/1
Nembrotha lineolata 2/1
Nembrotha purpureolineata 2/-
Noumea norba -/1
Phestilla sp. 1 1/-
Phyllidia ocellata 1/1
Phyllidia varicosa 1/-
Phyllidiella lizae 1/1
Phyllodesmium crypticum 2/-
Roboastra luteolineata 1/-
Runcina sp. 2 -/1
Runcina sp. 5 -/1
*Sagaminopteron ornatum 7/7
Tambja tenuilineata 2/2
Thorunna daniellae -/1
Tritoniopsis alba -/1

Berthella martensi

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Nembrotha lineolata

Goniobranchus splendidus

Nembrotha purpureolineata

Ardeadoris aff. averni

Tambja tenuilineata

Bornella anguilla

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Ardeadoris rubroannulata

Noumea norba

Phyllidiella lizae 

Goniobranchus geometricus

Tritoniopsis alba

Hypselodoris obscura

Cadlinella ornatissima

Phyllidia ocellata

Chromodoris striatella

Ilbia ilbi

Runcina sp. 2

Runcina sp. 5

Substrate

Phestilla sp. 1

Phyllodesmium crypticum

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Hypselodoris sagamiensis

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Colpodaspis thompsoni

Hexabranchus sanguineus

Chelidonura electra

Elysia sp. 5

Thorunna daniellae

Marionia cyanobranchiata

Goniodoris sp. 3 (New species)

Goniodoris sp. 3 - in situ burrowing 
through the algal turf