Gary and David on this excursion consisting of 1 x 83 minute and 1 x 74 minute dives in water depths from 12 m to 15 m. 15 m viz, 20 C water temp and moderate surge.
It’s been some time since we examined the middle portion of the Gneering Shoals so we selected a site we frequently dived in the past called Hanging Rock for this excursion. Sea slug species seemed few and far between and it took a great effort to locate the 19 species we did see. There is also a gutter at this site that we always examined but failed to locate it on this trip much to our disappointment. The Berthellina citrina specimens were all located together under a small plate of dead coral. Finds worth special mention include: Verconia verconiforma, Hypselodoris sagamiensis, Kabeiro sp. 1, Ceratosoma tenue and Dendrodoris nigra.
Number of each species sighted: 1st dive/2nd dive
* Species with highest specimen count
Berthellina citrina 3/-
Ceratosoma tenue -/1
Chromodoris elisabethina 2/-
Chromodoris kuiteri -/1
Dendrodoris nigra 1/1
Dermatobranchus rodmani -/1
Diversidoris flava -/1
* Doriprismatica atromarginata 3/2
Goniobranchus decorus -/1
Glossodoris vespa -/1
Hypselodoris obscura 2/1
Hypselodoris sagamiensis 1/-
Kabeiro sp. 1 1/-
Phyllidiella lizae 1/-
Phyllidiella pustulosa 2/1
Pleurobranchus peronii 1/-
Thuridilla splendens -/2
Tyrannodoris luteolineata 1/-
Verconia verconiforma -/1
Surface conditions at site - a bank of
thick fog obscuring the mainland
Substrate
Berthellina citrina - 3 specimens
Dendrodoris nigra
Substrate
Doriprismatica atromarginata
Chromodoris kuiteri
Thuridilla splendens
Hypselodoris obscura - head buried
feeding on sponge
Dermatobranchus rodmani
Phyllidiella pustulosa
Goniobranchus decorus
Verconia verconiforma
The two previous species as they
appeared naturally to the unaided eye.
Hypselodoris sagamiensis
Kabeiro sp. 1 - feeding on hydroid
Chromodoris elisabethina
Pleurobranchus peronii - juvenile
Tyrannodoris luteolineata
Glossodoris vespa
Ceratosoma tenue - 10 mm specimen
Diversidoris flava
