Species List: Northside Old Woman Island, off Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast, 27-04-2015

17 species sighted on the north side of Old Woman Island, Sunshine Coast.

Terry & David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 84 minute and 1 x 71 minute dives in water depths of 13 m to 14 m. Visibility of 3 m, 24 C water temperature and some intermittent surge.

With west to south-west winds forecast we selected the northern side of Old Woman Island to be the best site to offer some protection with regard to surface conditions and we would just have to put up with whatever visibility was on offer. Slugs were again in short supply.

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

Berthella martensi -/1
Bornella anguilla 1/-
Dermatobranchus tuberculatus 1/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata 1/1
Glossodoris vespa 1/-
Goniobranchus splendidus -/1
Noumea laboutei -/1
Phyllidia elegans 1/-
Phyllidia exquisita -/1
* Phyllidia ocellata 3/-
Phyllidiella lizae 1/-
Phyllidiella pustulosa -/1
Phyllodesmium hyalinum 1/- (New species)
Pteraeolidia ianthina 1/-
Sagaminopteron ornatum -/1
Thuridilla splendens -/1
Tritoniopsis alba -/2

Bornella anguilla

Phyllidia exquisita

Tritoniopsis alba

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Substrate

Phyllidia elegans

Noumea laboutei

Thuridilla splendens

Berthella martensi

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Goniobranchus splendidus

Dermatobranchus tuberculatus

Phyllodesmium hyalinum - New species

(See page for this species for explanation)

Species List: Nudi Ledge, Currimundi Reef, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast, 21-04-2015

25 species sighted at Nudi Ledge, Currimundi Reef, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast.

Terry & David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 77 minute and 1 x 81 minute dives in water depths of 15 m to 18 m. Visibility of 6 m, 24 C water temperature and some surge.

The forecast of medium strength W to SW winds abating in the late morning made our choice of Nudi Ledge as the dive site perfectly suited. Terry dropped the anchor spot on the sandy ledge right at the foot of the rocky wall. We worked one way along the wall and on top for the first dive and the other way on the second. Sea slugs are still not in the same numbers we enjoyed before our summer of rough seas and substantial rainfall run off. Apart from the large specimens of Phyllodesmium magnum and Phyllidia varicosa most species were quite juvenile.

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

Chromodoris kuiteri -/2
Cratena lineata -/1
Diversidoris aurantionodulosa 1/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata 3/3
Facelina sp. 3 1/-
Flabellina rubrolineata -/1
Goniodoridella savignyi 1/-
Gymnodoris alba -/1
Gymnodoris sp. 9 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni -/3
Hypselodoris obscura 2/1
Hypselodoris whitei -/2
Jorunna sp. 3 -/1
Phyllidia elegans 1/-
Phyllidia exquisita -/1
Phyllidia ocellata 2/1
Phyllidia picta -/1
Phyllidia varicosa 2/1
* Phyllidiella lizae 2/6
Phyllidiella pustulosa -/2
Phyllodesmium magnum 2/-
Pleurolidia juliae 1/-
* Pteraeolidia ianthina 3/5
Sagaminopteron ornatum 1/-
Tritoniopsis alba 1/-

Surface conditions

Goniodoridella savignyi

Gymnodoris sp. 9

Pleurolidia juliae

Diversidoris aurantionodulosa 

(seems to lack nodules)

Substrate

Phyllodesmium magnum -trailing pair

Phyllodesmium magnum -head shot

Pteraeolidia ianthina

Phyllidia picta

Jorunna sp. 3

Flabellina rubrolineata

Hypselodoris whitei

Cratena lineata

Gymnodoris alba

Species List: Terry's Delight, Arkwright Shoals, off Point Arkwright, Sunshine Coast, 19-04-2015

23 species sighted at Terry's Delight, Arkwright Shoals, off Point Arkwright, Sunshine Coast.

Julie, Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 84 minute and 1 x 81 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 17m. 8m viz, 24C water temp and a little surge.

Sloppy seas greeted us on our trip up the coast to the Arkwright Shoals but by the time we surfaced from the first dive it had flattened out and stayed that way apart from some easterly swell. The viz did not look too good but opened up a little once we arrived at the substrate. Sea slugs are still not in abundance. The find of the day was the Trinchesia sp. 18 that has only been sighted twice previously - once on this site in 2013 and again at Clown Reef on the Gneering Shoals in 2014.

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

Aegires citrinus 1/-
Aegires flores -/2
Ardeadoris aff. averni 1/1
Chromodoris elisabethina 1/-
Cratena simba 1/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata 3/4
Flabellina sp. 1 1/-
Glossodoris vespa 2/-
* Goniobranchus splendidus 5/3
Goniodoridella savignyi 2/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni -/1
Hypselodoris obscura 1/-
Phyllidia elegans -/1
Phyllidiella lizae 1/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 2/3
Pteraeolidia ianthina -/1
Thuridilla splendens 3/-
Trapania vitta -/2
Trinchesia ornata 2/-
Trinchesia sibogae 2/1
Trinchesia sp. 18 1/-
Tritoniopsis alba 4/3
Tylodina corticalis 1/-

A clearing sky and smooth waters

Aegires citrinus

Trinchesia sp. 18

Trinchesia sibogae

Tritoniopsis alba

Pteraeolidia ianthina

Substrate

Surface conditions just got better & better

Chromodoris elisabethina

Flabellina sp. 1

Trinchesia ornata

Goniodoridella savignyi

Thuridilla splendens

Cratena simba

Phyllidia elegans

Species List: Intertidal search, in front of the Humpybong Yacht Club, Woody Point, Redcliffe Peninsula, 17-04-2015.

5 species found during an intertidal excursion on the silty flats (patches of weed and algae) in front of the Humpybong Yacht Club, Woody Point, Redcliffe Peninsula.

Number of each species found.
* Species with the highest specimen count

Aplysia sp. (Juvenile - possibly Aplysia parvula)  1
Eubranchus sp. 12  4 (New species)
* Pupa affinis  10 (Juveniles - 3 x live, 7 x shells)
Ringicula sp. 3  9 (9 x shells)
Trinchesia sp. 27  3

Ringicula sp. 3

Trinchesia sp. 27

Eubranchus sp. 12

Species List: Drop Off, Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast, 07-04-2015

19 species sighted at Drop Off, Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast.

Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 90 minute and 1 x 72 minute dives in water depths of 15m to 17m. 5m viz, 26C water temp and a little surge.

With the swell dropping away and predicted westerlies we decided it was a good time to try Currimundi Reef out over the Caloundra Bar. We were pleasantly surprised at the viz which whilst not up to the Outer Gneerings was reasonable for this area given the recent rainfall.

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

Chelidonura inornata 1/-
Dermatobranchus ornatus 2/-
Dermatobranchus rodmani -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 1/3
Flabellina rubrolineata 1/-
Glossodoris vespa 1/
Goniobranchus geometricus 1/-
Goniobranchus splendidus 5/-
Goniodoridella savignyi -/1
* Hypselodoris jacksoni 1/6
Hypselodoris sagamiensis -/1
Jorunna sp. 3 1/-
Phyllidia ocellata 1/1
Phyllidia picta 1/-
Phyllidiella lizae 4/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa -/2
Pteraeolidia ianthina 1/-
Sagaminopteron ornatum  3/-
Tritoniopsis alba -/3

Surface conditions

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Jorunna sp. 3

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Chelidonura inornata

Flabellina rubrolineata

Phyllidiella lizae

Phyllidia picta

Goniobranchus geometricus

Pteraeolidia ianthina

Phyllidia ocellata

Dermatobranchus rodmani

Tritoniopsis alba

Goniodoridella savignyi

Hypselodoris sagamiensis