Sunday, May 26, 2019

Species List: 25-05-2019, Toilet Block, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

18 species sighted at Toilet Block, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 25-05-2019.

A single shore entry dive by Gary, Sheryl, Jenny and Sandy of 173 minutes. Maximum depth 6.2 m, 22 C water temperature and up to 4 m viz.

The water quality is still quite good and with very little current on a 1.1 m tide, 129 nudibranchs came out on display. Pteraeolidia semperi still dominates the most common category. Found from under a small rock were two Facelina sp. 3. Right in the beginning or in this case the end of our dive a rather large Bornella anguilla was found on the side of a rock. Another exciting thing that happened on this dive was the recording of a Blue-ringed Octopus...in the river (photo coming thanks Sandy)!

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Atys semistriatus shell -1
Bornella anguilla -1
Bulbaeolidia alba -1
Ceratosoma tenue -1
Cratena lineata -1
Facelina sp. 11 -1
Facelina sp. 3 -2
Flabellina lotos -10
Goniobranchus daphne -4
Goniobranchus decorus -1
Goniodoridella savigny -4
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -30
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -2
Hypselodoris obscura -19
Hypselodoris zephyra -1
* Pteraeolidia semperi -45
Tenellia sibogae -7
Unidentia sp. 8 -1

Entry

Surface float and weekend traffic

Tenellia sibogae

Tenellia sibogae pair

Hypselodoris zephyra

Hypselodoris obscura feeding

Flabellina lotos

Substrate

Facelina sp. 11

Goniodoridella savigny

Hypselodoris obscura

Pteraeolidia semperi large animal

Goniobranchus daphne juvenile

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Pteraeolidia semperi juvenile

Channel marker

Substrate

Sandy

Flabellina lotos

Facelina sp. 3 pair

Facelina sp. 3

Goniodoridella savigny

Goniobranchus daphne

Pteraeolidia semperi

Cratena lineata

Flatworm

Unidentia sp. 8

Bulbaeolidia alba

Flatworm

Gymnodoris sp. 10

Tenellia sibogae

Bornella anguilla

Bornella anguilla gills

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Species List: 22-05-2019, Fish Cage upriver, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

18 species sighted at Fish Cage upriver, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 22-05-2019.

A single solo shore entry dive by Gary of 183 minutes. Maximum depth 5.6 m, 22 C water temperature and up to 5 m viz.

Mid-week diving = the best! The tidal flow was very slow so more nudibranchs can come out to play. This was a great dive and the drysuit worked a treat during the 3 hour search. One little section of subtrate about 2m by 1m produced 3 species of Costasiella species. Egg masses on a sponge produced the very cryptic Jorunna animals. Hydroid bunches also were productive. Finding Doto sp. 5 adds another species to the River species list of 272.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Atys semistriatus shell -2
Austrocylichna sp. shell -2
Costasiella kuroshimae -1
Costasiella sp. 1 -1
Costasiella sp. 2 -2
Cratena lineata -1
Doto sp. 5 -1 NEW RECORD FOR RIVER
Doto sp. 6 -6
Eubranchus sp. 10 -9
Facelina sp. 11 -3
Flabellina lotos -4
Goniobranchus daphne -1
* Goniodoridella sp. 1 -14
Hypselodoris obscura -4
Jorunna sp. 6 -2
Retusa sp. 5 shell -1
Pteraeolidia semperi -2
Thuridilla carlsoni -1

Morning entry

Jorunna sp. 6 with egg mass

Atys semistriatus shell

Substrate

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Cratena lineata

Doto sp. 6

Substrate

Facelina sp. 11

Thuridilla carlsoni

Pteraeolidia semperi

Hypselodoris obscura

Retusa sp. 5 shell

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Eubranchus sp. 10 mating pair

Eubranchus sp. 10

Eubranchus sp. 10 food source

Hypselodoris obscura

Doto sp. 6 - 3 animals

Goniobranchus daphne

Costasiella sp. 2

Costasiella sp. 2

Costasiella kuroshimae

Costasiella kuroshimae

Costasiella sp. 2

Costasiella sp. 1 

Costasiella sp. 1 

Flabellina lotos

Doto sp. 5  NEW RECORD FOR RIVER

Doto sp. 5  NEW RECORD FOR RIVER

Doto sp. 5  NEW RECORD FOR RIVER

Flabellina lotos