Saturday, September 29, 2018

Species List: 27-09-2018, East end of the Wall, Old Woman Island, Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast, Qld

41 species sighted at East end of the Wall, Old Woman Island, Mudjimba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 27-09-2018

A double boat dive by Terry, David and Gary consisting of 1 x 94 minute and 1 x 88 minute dives in water depths up to 14.4m, up to 10m viz, 21 C water temp.

The weather looked a bit ify so we thought we woud hide behind the Island and dive the Wall. The was a boat anchored there already so we moved east. The swell was not as evident here and the diving was a cruise. With lots of rocks to search our hunt was a challenge. The highlight was finding a new species of Marionia, Marionia sp. 8 with its bright orange colouration found under a rock. Another great find was the elusive Babakina indopacifica. Stiliger aureomarginatus was also found and it's brght colours and small size made for a challenging shoot.

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

Ardeadoris angustolutea -/1
Atys semistriatus 1/-
Babakina indopacifica -/2
Berthella martensi -/1
Bulbaeolidia alba -/1
Cadlinella ornatissima 2/-
Chromodoris striatella 2/1
Cratena lineata 1/-
Dermatobranchus oculus 1/-
Dermatobranchus ornatus 1/-
Dermatobranchus sp. 7 1/-
Diversidoris flava 2/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 2/11
Elysia sp. 11 1/-
Flabellina sp. 1 -/1
Glossodoris rufomarginata 5/3
Glossodoris vespa 2/2
Goniobranchus albonares 1/-
Goniobranchus sp. 6 2/2
Goniobranchus decorus -/1
Goniobranchus aureopurpureus 1/-
Goniobranchus splendidus 4/9
Gymnodoris alba -/1
Hexabranchus sanguineus -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni -/3
Mariaglaja inornata -/2
Marionia sp. 8 -/1 NEW SPECIES
Pleurobranchus peronii 2/1
Phyllidia elegans 2/1
Phyllidia ocellata 1/1
Phyllidiella lizae 1/3
Phyllidiella pustulosa 2/4
Pteraeolidia semperi 1/-
Sagaminopteron ornatum -/2
Stiliger aureomarginatus 1/-
Tambja tenuilineata 1/-
* Thuridilla splendens 9/10
Tritoniopsis elegans 3/1
Verconia romeri 1/1
Verconia simplex 3/1
Verconia sp. 2 1/-

Readying our ride

Old Woman Island from the south

Substrate

Elysia sp. 11

Chromodoris striatella

Stiliger aureomarginatus

Diversidoris flava

Cadlinella ornatissima

Tritoniopsis elegans

Marionia sp. 8   NEW SPECIES

Pleurobranchus peronii

Goniobranchus decorus maybe!

Phyllidiella lizae

Berthella martensi

Phyllidia ocellata

Phyllidiella pustulosa 

Phyllidia elegans with damaged posterior end
showing the gills

Hypselodoris jacksoni

A very large Goniobranchus sp. 6
crawling over Goniobranchus splendidus

Glossodoris rufomarginata pair

Babakina indopacifica

Glossodoris vespa

Pleurobranchus peronii

Stiliger aureomarginatus

Thuridilla splendens pair

Atys semistriatus

Goniobranchus sp. 6

Cratena lineata

Goniobranchus splendidus

Ardeadoris angustolutea

Verconia romeri

Babakina indopacifica

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Verconia sp. 2

Verconia simplex

Dermatobranchus sp. 7

Goniobranchus albonares

Verconia romeri

Hypselodoris jacksoni

Bulbaeolidia alba

Gymnodoris alba

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Hexabranchus sanguineus


Sunday, September 23, 2018

Species List: 23-09-2018, Old Woman Island and The Caves, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld

16 species sighted at The Bommie, Old Woman Island and The Caves, Inner Gneerings, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 23-09-2018

A double boat dive by Terry and Julie consisting of 1 x 64 minute and 1 x 49 minute dives in water depths up to 12m, up to 10m viz, 20 C water temp.

Terry and Julie headed out today to partake in their other hobby; reef surveys for Reef Check Australia. Although tasked with other duties we could not resist the temptation to photograph and record any nudibranchs that we saw. Pictures were a little rushed as we focused on the allocated tasks at hand, but at least we have a record.

We were all delighted by a wonderful display from 2 mother Humpback whales with calves that were taking time out to play as we transferred between dive sites, extending our surface interval considerably.

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

Chromodoris elisabethina -/1
Chromodoris kuiteri 2/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 2/1
Glossodoris rufomarginata 2/1
Goniobranchus leopardus -/1
Hexabranchus sanguineus -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 1/1
Phyllidia elegans 1/-
Phyllidia varicosa 1/-
Phyllidiella annulata 3/-
Phyllidiella pustulosa 3/-
Sagaminopteron pyschedelicum 1/-
Thuridilla splendens 1/1
*Tritoniopsis elegans 8/-
Tyrannodoris luteolineata 1/-
Verconia norba 1/-

Phyllidia elegans 

Tritoniopsis elegans

Phyllidiella pustulosa

Doriprismatica atromarginata

Sagaminopteron psychedelicum

Verconia norba

Phyllidia varicosa

Glossodoris rufomarginata

Surface Conditions - with whales

Hexabranchus sanguineus

Substrate - The Caves

Chromodoris kuiteri