A single shore entry dive by Julie, Gary and David of 123 minutes. Maximum depth 6.6 m, 28 C water temperature and 4 m viz.
After suiting up in the sun getting into the water unfortunately provided only minimal relief. The temperature of the top 2 metres of water was almost 29 C only dropping to 28 C as we headed towards the bottom of the channel. Mostly just some of the usual suspects sighted however a new species for our Sunshine Coast List - Discodoris sp. 5 - was a good find. The specimen seems to have a malformed right rhinophore pocket with the actual rhinophore on that side absent. We will be monitoring the river species closely this year as last year we got the impression that the warmer summer waters caused a collapse in numbers of both species sighted and their populations.
Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count
Bulbaeolidia alba -1
Dendrodoris nigra -1
Discodoris sp. 5 -1 New Species
Flabellina rubrolineata -1
Goniobranchus daphne -7
Goniobranchus decorus -1
Goniodoridella savignyi -2
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -6
Gymnodoris sp. 9 -2
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -2
Hypselodoris obscura -4
Myja longicornis -1
* Pteraeolidia semperi -13
Tenellia sibogae -3
Hypselodoris obscura
Goniobranchus decorus
Pteraeolidia semperi - anterior aspect
Goniobranchus daphne
Goniodoridella savignyi
Gymnodoris sp. 10
Bulbaeolidia alba
Dendrodoris nigra
Pteraeolidia semperi - juvenile specimen
Flabellina rubrolineata
Gymnodoris sp. 9
Tenellia sibogae
Entry point with locals trying
to cool off in the tepid river water -
perhaps a sign is needed warning of stonefish
Discodoris sp. 5 - New species
Goniodoridella sp. 1
Substrate at base of channel marker
Substrate
Myja longicornis on hydroid stem
Tenellia sibogae
