Species List: Drop Off, Currimundi Reef, Sunshine Coast, 26-07-2015

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

Julie, Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 92 minute and 1 x 77 minute dives in water depths of 14m to 17m. 8m viz, 20C water temp, very little surge.

Terry had expressed a desire to return to this site for a better survey. With the nasty swell of Friday having abated we ventured forth over the Caloundra Bar without incident and headed north up to Currimundi Reef. What a complete change in underwater conditions greeted us. The lack of surge made the dives much more comfortable and gave us a marked increase in the species count and their populations. The only disappointment was the lack of sacoglossans of any description. Not a single Thuridilla or Elysia in sight which we are unable to explain given the good coverage of many types of algae upon the substrate.

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

Aegires villosus -/2
Ardeadoris aff. averni 3/3
Ardeadoris rubroannulata 1/-
Bornella anguilla 1/-
Bulbaeolidia alba -/1
Cadlinella ornatissima 1/-
Chromodoris elisabethina 3/-
Chromodoris striatella 1/-
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 1/-
Dermatobranchus ornatus -/1
Dermatobranchus tuberculatus -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 6/3
Flabellina bicolor -/1
Flabellina rubrolineata 1/-
Glossodoris vespa 1/4
Goniobranchus decorus 1/-
Goniobranchus geometricus 1/-
* Goniobranchus splendidus 9/5
Goniodoridella savignyi 1/-
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -/1
Hypselodoris bullockii 2/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 5/6
Hypselodoris sagamiensis -/1

Hypselodoris obscura 7/2
Jorunna sp. 3 -/1
Noumea norba 1/2
Noumea romeri 2/-
Phyllidia ocellata 5/4
Phyllidia varicosa 1/2
Phyllidiella lizae 5/-
Phyllidiella pustulosa 5/2
Phyllidiopsis burni -/1
Sagaminopteron ornatum 7/6
Tylodina corticalis 1/-

Excellent surface conditions

Phyllidia varicosa

Dermatobranchus ornatus

Noumea norba

Goniobranchus geometricus

Phyllidia ocellata

Hypselodoris bullockii - a pair, tails up 

heads down feeding

Ardeadoris rubroannulata

Chromodoris striatella

Tylodina corticalis

Abundant sessile life on the substrate

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Chromodoris elisabethina

Bornella anguilla

Cadlinella ornatissima

Phyllidiopsis burni

Gymnodoris sp. 10

Hypselodoris sagamiensis

Goniobranchus splendidus

Noumea romeri

Glossodoris vespa

Hypselodoris jacksoni - chowing down 

on a sponge

Goniobranchus decorus

Dermatobranchus tuberculatus

Ardeadoris aff. averni

Aegires villosus - on its specific sponge food

Jorunna sp. 3

Species List: Sibogae Ridge, Arkwright Shoals, off Point Arkwright, Coolum, Sunshine Coast, 24-07-2015

19 species sighted at Sibogae Ridge, Arkwright Shoals, Sunshine Coast.

Julie, Terry and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 68 minute and 1 x 57 minute dives in water depths of 17m to 21m. 8m viz, 19C water temp, constant surge.

The trip up from Mooloolaba through the swell portended what we could expect by way of surge as although it was not large it had a short period and was punchy. We decided to find a site on the Arkwright Shoals that would provide a balance between extra depth to mitigate the surge yet not too deep to significantly compromise our bottom time. We found a site close to Terry's Delight which we have named Sibogae Ridge after the half dozen Trinchesia sibogae feasting on hydroids on the lip of the ridge. The surge made everyone uncomfortable. Its power was out of all proportion to the size of the swell. The blue-tipped Tritonopsis alba is an interesting find that has stimulated some controversy- lively discussion.

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

Ardeadoris aff. averni -/1
Chromodoris striatella 1/1
Dermatobranchus cf. primus 1/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata -/1
Flabellina exoptata 1/-
* Flabellina rubrolineata 6/7
Glossodoris vespa 1/-
Goniobranchus splendidus 1/2
Goniodoridella savignyi 2/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni -/1
Hypselodoris obscura -/2
Phyllidia ocellata 3/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 1/1
Phyllodesmium magnum 1/-
Pteraeolidia semperi 5/3
Sagaminopteron ornatum 2/1
Thuridilla splendens 1/-
Trinchesia sibogae 5/2
Tritoniopsis alba 1/-

Goniodoridella savignyi

Goniodoridella savignyi

Phyllodesmium magnum

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Goniobranchus splendidus

Phyllidia ocellata

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Substrate

Visual representation of how 

the surge made Julie feel

Surface conditions - Looking back 

at Point Arkwright

Still smiling despite the surge

Thuridilla splendens

Chromodoris striatella

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Flabellina exoptata

Pteraeolidia semperi - 3 distinctive bands 

on the oral tentacles

Ardeadoris aff. averni

Flabellina rubrolineata

Trinchesia sibogae

Tritoniopsis alba ?? Blue-tipped

In the Lab.

Species List: La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, 18-07-2015

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

Julie, Terry and David on this single shore entry dive of 93 minutes. Maximum depth 6 m, 17 C water temperature and 5m viz.

Back in the river again for this dive but just upstream from Thursday's immersion. Whilst our sightings are still relatively low numbers are on an upwards trend and we did find some different species from those of Thursday which is an encouraging sign. The white specks that are Goniodoridella sp. 1 are everywhere on the substrate. At just 100 m upstream from Thursday's dive we found an abundant population of Unidentia angelvaldesi. 

Number of species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Analogium amakusanum -1
Bulbaeolidia alba -1
Eubranchus sp. 10 -1
* Goniodoridella sp. 1 -26
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -1
Phidiana bourailli -1
Trinchesia sp. 24 -2
Unidentia angelvaldesi -13

Surface conditions

Eubranchus sp. 10 on hydroid

Gymnodoris sp. 10

Substrate

Phidiana bourailli

Trinchesia sp. 24 moving off its eggs

Analogium amakusanum

Unidentia angelvaldesi on three separate 

egg spirals

Bulbaeolidia alba

Trinchesia sp. 24

Goniodoridella sp. 1