Gary and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 79 minute and 1 x 76 minute dives in water depths from 14 m to 17 m. 15 m viz, 23 C water temp and no surge.
A smaller dive team headed out to the Gneerings in almost perfect weather and the dive conditions promised the same. It was a joy to dive without struggling against the surge. A wonderful cross section of sea slugs were sighted with all but two being true nudibranchs. For a short time we held high hopes of a new species for the list but we have now resolved to call it a juvenile specimen of our Sclerodoris sp. 4.
Number of each species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive
* Species with highest specimen count
Aegires gardineri 1/-
Cadlinella ornatissima -/1
* Chromodoris elisabethina 7/13
Chromodoris kuiteri 1/1
Chromodoris magnifica 1/1
Cratena lineata 2/-
Dermatobranchus fortunatus 1/-
Dermatobranchus rodmani 1/-
Doriprismatica atromarginata 5/2
Glossodoris vespa -/1
Goniobranchus collingwoodi 1/-
Goniobranchus decorus -/1
Goniobranchus geometricus -/1
Goniobranchus splendidus 1/1
Goniobranchus sp. 2 -/1
Gymnodoris alba 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 3/1
Hypselodoris maculosa 4/1
Hypselodoris obscura 1/-
Mexichromis trilineata 2/-
Phyllidia ocellata -/1
Phyllidia varicosa -/2
Phyllidiella annulata -/1
Phyllidiella lizae 1/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 1/4
Phyllidiopsis cardinalis 2/-
Sclerodoris sp. 4 -/1
Tenellia sp. 33 4/4
Thorunna daniellae -/1
Thuridilla splendens 1/4
Tritoniopsis elegans 1/-
Tylodina corticalis -/1
Tritoniopsis elegans
Chromodoris kuiteri
Phyllidiopsis cardinalis - a little one
Goniobranchus collingwoodi
Aegires gardineri
Chromodoris magnifica
Cratena lineata
Hypselodoris maculosa
Thuridilla splendens
Thorunna daniellae
Tenellia sp. 33
Goniobranchus geometricus
Phyllidiella annulata
Substrate
Chromodoris elisabethina
Mexichromis trilineata
Phyllidiopsis cardinalis - a big one
Dermatobranchus fortunatus
A slime of sea slugs
Hypselodoris jacksoni
Phyllidiella pustulosa
Phyllidiella lizae
Doriprismatica atromarginata
Hypselodoris obscura
Many hard and soft corals
Surface conditions
Phyllidia ocellata
Glossodoris vespa
Goniobranchus decorus
Sclerodoris sp. 4 - a juvenile at 7 mm long
Sclerodoris sp. 4 (on black)
Phyllidia varicosa
