Monday, March 30, 2015

Species List: Bornella Reef, SE corner of Old Woman Island, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 27-03-2015

18 species sighted at Bornella Reef, SE corner of Old Woman Island, Sunshine Coast.

Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 94 minute and 1 x 85 minute dives in water depths of 12m to 14m. 3m viz, 25C water temp, some surge.

Once again conditions were not the best which has been the story of our diving this summer. Regardless of conditions however we still enjoy the diving and wondering what we might find during our time below the surface. The recent and consistently large swells whilst welcomed by the surfing fraternity washes many of the sea slugs off their food and the visible substrate down into the clefts and crevices away from our prying eyes. There is a bubble shell - cephalaspidean - listed here as a Tornatina. We have recently been advised by Bob Burn that the name we had been using - Acteocina - applies to Atlantic species only whilst our finds here are of the Tornatina genus. Our website species list has been amended.

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


Atys semistriatus -/1
Atys sp. 2 -/1
Dermatobranchus rodmani -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 2/1
Flabellina sp. 1 1/1
Glossodoris vespa 1/1
Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus 2/-
* Goniobranchus splendidus 2/8
Hypselodoris obscura -/1
Phyllidia ocellata 1/3
Phyllidia varicosa 1/-
Phyllidiella lizae 1/-
Phyllidiella pustulosa 1/1
Phyllidiopsis burni -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum -/2
Thuridilla splendens 1/-
Tornatina sp. 4 -/1
Trinchesia ornata 2/1

Substrate 

Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus

Glossodoris vespa

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Thuridilla splendens

Phyllidia ocellata

Dermatobranchus rodmani

Atys semistriatus

Flabellina sp. 1 (similar to F. bicolor)

Trinchesia ornata

Phyllidiopsis burni

Goniobranchus splendidus

Atys sp. 2

Tornatina sp. 4



Sunday, March 29, 2015

Species List: NW Reef, Old Woman Island, Sunshine Coast, 23-03-2015

8 species sighted at NW Reef, Old Woman Island, Sunshine Coast.

Terry and David on this single dive of 55 minutes, 10 m depth, 26C water temp, less than 5 m viz, and surge.

Poor visibility, surge and the boat dragging its anchor in the swells caused us to cut the first dive short and to pass on undertaking the second. The species count reflects the conditions as does the quality of the images.

The Eubranchus sp. 8 has only been sighted twice before at Flinders Reef three years ago on both occasions.

Number of each species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Dermatobranchus rodmani 1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 1
Eubranchus sp. 8 1
Goniobranchus splendidus 1
Hypselodoris obscura 1
Marionia cyanobranchiata 1
Phyllodesmium colemani 1
* Thuridilla splendens 2
Doriprismatica atromarginata

Marionia cyanobranchiata

Eubranchus sp. 8

Goniobranchus splendidus

Phyllodesmium colemani

Dermatobranchus rodmani

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Species List: Shellacey Reef, Gneerings Shoals, Sunshine Coast, 22-03-2015

29 species sighted at Shellacey Reef, Gneering Shoals, Sunshine Coast.

Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 90 minute and 1 x 85 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 18m. 8m viz, 26C water temp, some surge.

Summer diving conditions have not been kind to us this year with almost a 2 month hiatus from offshore diving excursions. Mischief is now back in service out of Mooloolaba and so we took advantage of the promising forecasts to head out to the Gneering Shoals to see what we could find. The wind strength and direction was not as predicted but we managed two excellent dives before heading back. One specimen has us somewhat confused being similar in some respects to both Goniobranchus aureopurpureus and Thorunna perplexa. Identity TBA.

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

Aegires citrinus 1/-
Aegires gardineri -/1
Berthellina citrina -/1
Bulbaeolidia alba 1/1
Chromodoris elisabethina -/4
Dermatobranchus rodmani -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 1/2
Glossodoris vespa -/2
Goniobranchus collingwoodi -/1
Goniobranchus decorus -/1
Goniobranchus splendidus 1/1
Gymnodoris sp. 7 1/-
Hypselodoris aff. maculosa 1/1
Hypselodoris emma 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 1/-
Hypselodoris maritima 1/-
Hypselodoris sp. 4 -/1
Mexichromis trilineata 1/1
Noumea simplex 1/-
Phyllidia exquisita 3/-
Phyllidia ocellata -/1
Phyllidiella lizae 2/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 5/3
Sagaminopteron ornatum -/1
Thorunna daniellae -/1
Thorunna perplexa  1/- To be confirmed
Thuridilla carlsoni 2/2
* Thuridilla splendens 4/6
Trinchesia ornata 4/-

Surface conditions

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Goniobranchus collingwoodi

Dermatobranchus rodmani

Thorunna daniellae

Aegires citrinus

Trinchesia ornata

Hypselodoris emma

Goniobranchus splendidus

Hypselodoris maritima

Gymnodoris sp. 7

Thorunna perplexa - TBA

Noumea simplex

Phyllidia exquisita

Thuridilla carlsoni

Bulbaeolidia alba

Berthellina citrina

Aegires gardineri

Hypselodoris sp. 4

Glossodoris vespa

Chromodoris elisabethina

Hypselodoris aff. maculosa

Thuridilla splendens

Goniobranchus decorus

Sagaminopteron ornatum