Species List: La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 27-02-2016

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

Terry, Gary and David on this single, shore entry dive of 114 minutes. Maximum depth 6.1 m, 26 C water temperature and < 1 m viz.

The poor viz of less than a metre obviously had an impact on our sightings. It is worth noting though that the Thuridilla carlsoni is the first species of Thuridilla sighted in the river. Many of the white specks on the substrate proved to be Goniodoridella sp. 1 specimens.

Number of species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count.

Cratena lineata -1
Flabellina angelvaldesi -11
Goniobranchus daphne -10
* Goniodoridella sp. 1 -12
Hypselodoris obscura -2
Pleurobranchus peronii -2
Pteraeolidia semperi -8
Thuridilla carlsoni -1
Trinchesia sibogae -1
Verconia romeri -1

Two of the team discussing the dive plan 

pause for the photo shoot

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Trinchesia sibogae on hydroid

Goniobranchus daphne

Hypselodoris obscura

Thuridilla carlsoni - buried in situ

Pteraeolidia semperi 

Pleurobranchus peronii - a pair

Verconia romeri

Thuridilla carlsoni

Cratena lineata

Flabellina angelvaldesi

Species List: La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 24-02-2016

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

Terry, Gary and David on this single, shore entry dive of 156 minutes. Maximum depth 6.8 m, 26 C water temperature and 2 m viz.

Three new species have been added to our list as a result of this dive. All aeolids, they bear some resemblance to species we have already recorded but close attention to their features reveals the differences.

Number of species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count.

* Flabellina angelvaldesi -77
Flabellina rubrolineata -1
Flabellina sp. 4 -3  New species
Goniobranchus collingwoodi -1
Goniobranchus daphne -19
Goniobranchus decorus -2
Goniobranchus splendidus -1
Goniodoridella sp. 1  -23
Gymnodoris nigricolor -1
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -6
Hypselodoris obscura -9
Philinopsis falciphallus -1
Phyllodesmium opalescens -2
Pteraeolidia semperi -10
Rostanga arbutus -1
Trinchesia sibogae -5
Trinchesia sp. 23 -2
Trinchesia sp. 30 -1 New species
Trinchesia sp. 31 -1 New species
Verconia romeri -1

Flabellina sp. 4 New species

Goniobranchus daphne

Hypselodoris obscura - mating pair

Trinchesia sibogae

Goniobranchus decorus

Goniobranchus splendidus

Goniobranchus daphne

Flabellina angelvaldesi - in large congregations

Phyllodesmium opalescens

Verconia romeri

Trinchesia sp. 30 - New species

Trinchesia sp. 31 - New species

Philinopsis falciphallus

Gymnodoris sp. 10

Flabellina angelvaldesi - on its 

hydroid food source

Goniodoridella sp. 1

A Gymnodoris sp. 10  attacks a 

Flabellina angelvaldesi

A Gymnodoris sp. 10  attacks a 

Flabellina angelvaldesi

Goniobranchus collingwoodi

Gymnodoris nigricolor

Rostanga arbutus - head on image

Rostanga arbutus

Species List: La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 20-02-2016

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

Julie, Terry, Gary and David on this single, shore entry night dive of 139 minutes. Maximum depth 5.8 m, 26 C water temperature and 3 m viz.

We are noticing more and more Halimeda algae growing on the river substrate and providing habitat and food source for a variety of small sacoglossans and aplysiids. Doto sp. 3 were spotted in situ which is unusual as they are normally cryptic but these, for the first time, had orange colouration to their cerata. This is possibly due to the orange hydroid polyps they appeared to be feeding on.

Number of species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count.

Chelidonura fulvipunctata -1
Doto sp. 3 -15
Elysia pusilla -9
* Flabellina angelvaldesi -110
Flabellina exoptata -1
Goniobranchus aureopurpureus -2
Goniobranchus collingwoodi -2
Goniobranchus daphne -8
Goniobranchus splendidus -3
Goniobranchus verrieri -1
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -6
Hoplodoris nodulosa -1
Phyllaplysia sp. 2 -3 New species
Pleurobranchus peronii -1
Pleurobranchus weberi -1
Pteraeolidia semperi -11
Trinchesia sp. 23 -1

Goniobranchus collingwoodi

Flabellina angelvaldesi - large numbers 

on the hydroids

Pteraeolidia semperi

Goniobranchus daphne

Goniobranchus splendidus

Doto sp. 3

Flabellina angelvaldesi

Hoplodoris nodulosa 

Flabellina exoptata

Doto sp. 3 - yellow cerata

Doto sp. 3 - typical lighter cerata

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Goniobranchus aureopurpureus 

Doto sp. 3 - on the sand

Flabellina angelvaldesi - comparison 

of "colour forms"

Elysia pusilla

Pleurobranchus peronii (and flatworm)

Phyllaplysia sp. 2 - New species