Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Species List: 26-03-2019, Fish Cage, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

15 species sighted at Fish Cage, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 23-03-2019.

A single solo shore entry dive by Gary of 184 minutes. Maximum depth 5.8 m, 27 C water temperature and up to 3 m viz.

With a 1.4 m high tide I went on searching consistancy of species. The tidal flow was low and the water particles were many. There was plenty of viz for the task. The numbers of Goniodoridella sp. 1 are still high. A very juvenile Thuridilla carlsoni had me thinking of new species. A half eaten Cratena simba was also found. But....the highlight was locating four Phyllodesmium undulatum in two areas, a real jewel! Finding a live Retusa sp. 5 in the silt was also a nice find.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Atys semistriatus shell -3
Cratena lineata -3
Cratena simba -1
Doto sp. 6 -2
Eubranchus sp. 10 -1
Flabellina lotos -20
Goniodoridella savignyi -1
* Goniodoridella sp. 1 -71
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -1
Haminoea sp. shell -1
Hypselodoris obscura -3
Liloa brevis shell -2
Phyllodesmium undulatum -4
Retusa sp. 5 shell and animal -2
Thuridilla carlsoni juvenile -1

Entry

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Substrate

Gymnodoris sp. 10

Liloa brevis shell

Atys semistriatus shell

Substrate

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Goniodoridella savignyi

Thuridilla carlsoni juvenile

Thuridilla carlsoni juvenile

Haminoea sp. shell

Cratena lineata

Flabellina lotos pair

Phyllodesmium undulatum pair

Phyllodesmium undulatum

Phyllodesmium undulatum pair

Phyllodesmium undulatum pair

Hypselodoris obscura

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Hypselodoris obscura

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Substrate

 Goniodoridella sp. 1

Half of Cratena simba

Atys semistriatus shell

Doto sp. 6 egg mass

Doto sp. 6

Eubranchus sp. 10

Phyllodesmium undulatum pair

Phyllodesmium undulatum pair

Flabellina lotos

Retusa sp. 5 shell

Retusa sp. 5 live from the silt - 1 mm