Nudibranch Central: Species List: 11-01-2017, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Species List: 11-01-2017, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

27 species sighted at La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 11-01-2017.

Julie, Terry, Gary and David on this single shore entry night dive, of 132 minutes. Maximum depth 5.8 m, 27 C water temperature and 3 m viz.

We entered the water about half an hour before sunset hoping to find some nocturnal specimens. A very productive dive with our 700th species recorded - the sea hare Dolabella auricularia - and not just one but two specimens. During the dive a nodulose dorid was recorded and subsequently upon review we have labelled it Carminodoris sp. 3, also a new record. Towards the end of the dive a small grey blob was seen rolling around on the substrate which could not be made to settle properly for a photo so it was collected and eventually revealed to be yet another new species for us - Atagema sp. 3. That makes our overall total 702 species.

Number of species sighted
* Species with highest specimen count.

Atagema sp. 3 -1 New species
Atys semistriatus -2
Bulla vernicosa -1
Carminodoris nodulosa -1
Carminodoris sp. 3 -1 New species
Chelidonura fulvipunctata -3
Cratena lineata -1
Dendrodoris fumata -1 Black colour-form
Dendrodoris nigra -1
* Dermatobranchus sp. 6 -8
Dermatobranchus sp. 7 -3
Dolabella auricularia -2 New Species - our 700th
Flabellina angelvaldesi -1
Godiva quadricolor -1
Goniobranchus daphne -7
Goniobranchus decorus -1
Goniobranchus reticulatus -1
Goniobranchus splendidus -1
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -1
Hydatina physis -6
Hypselodoris obscura -2
Petalifera sp. 1 -2
Philinopsis falciphallus -2
Philinopsis lineolata -1
Philinopsis orientalis -1
Phyllodesmium opalescens -2
Pteraeolidia semperi -6