Sunday, September 10, 2017

Species List: 08-09-2017, Northside, Old Woman Island, off Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

26 species sighted at Northside, Old Woman Island, off Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 08-09-2017.

Julie, Terry, Gary and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 90 minute and 1 x 91 minute dives in water depths from 11 m to 14.5 m. 12 m viz, 21 C water temp and some occasional very slight surge.

The south west wind was predicted to get up to 15 knots early in the day (20 knots offshore) but then drop away in the middle of the day so we elected to to anchor on the north side of Old Woman Island in the lee. By 08:30 it was blowing 20 knots there out of the SSW. We dropped anchor at a random blip on the sounder and were pleasantly surprised at the pretty little site. We were rewarded on the second dive with our 714th species - an undescribed Marionia. We were joined by a number of vessels sheltering from the unexpected wind strength but as predicted it did drop away to less than 10 knots.

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

Ardeadoris sp. 2 7/3
Bornella anguilla 1/1
Chromodoris elisabethina 5/-  
Chromodoris kuiteri 3/-
Cratena lineata -/3
Dermatobranchus oculus 1/-
Goniobranchus geometricus -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 15/8
Glossodoris vespa 1/-
Goniobranchus splendidus 10/3
Gymnodoris sp. 10 1/-
Hallaxa translucens -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 2/-
Hypselodoris obscura 4/1
Hypselodoris sagamiensis 1/1
Hypselodoris tryoni 1/-
Jorunna sp. 3 1/-
Marionia sp. 3 -/1 (New species)
Phyllidia coelestis -/1
Phyllidia ocellata 1/1
Phyllidia varicosa 1/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa 5/6
Pleurolidia juliae 1/-
Sagaminopteron ornatum 2/1
Thuridilla splendens 7/6
Verconia norba -/1

Phyllidia ocellata

Jorunna sp. 3

Hypselodoris jacksoni 

Hypselodoris obscura

Glossodoris vespa

Hypselodoris tryoni

Hypselodoris sagamiensis

Ardeadoris sp. 2

Chromodoris kuiteri

Thuridilla splendens - unusual form - 
two sets of parapodial folds

Goniobranchus geometricus

Bornella anguilla

A coral garden

Sagaminopteron ornatum

Goniobranchus splendidus

Phyllidia coelestis

Cratena lineata

Heading out

Onsite in the lee

Searching the substrate

Chromodoris elisabethina

Phyllidia varicosa

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Pleurolidia juliae

Hypselodoris obscura - buccal bulb everted 
- feeding

Marionia sp. 3 -  New species

Marionia sp. 3

Hallaxa translucens

Dermatobranchus oculus

Gymnodoris sp. 10