Monday, July 29, 2019

Species List: 28-07-2019, Rotunda, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

24 species sighted at Rotunda, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 28-07-2019.

A single shore afternoon come night entry dive by Gary, Elliot and Brenton of 128 minutes. Maximum depth 5.6 m, 20 C water temperature and up to 8 m viz.

Perfect conditions for a night dive. Cratena lineata is still out in mass, hundreds of animals. At the base of the channel marker was a large hydroid and many Tenellia sp. 32 and 44 animals, a spectacular sight. Two large Philinopsis falciphallus were also recorded. The numbers of Pteraeolidia semperi at this site are no where near the Toilet Block site.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Aglaja fulvipunctata -2
Atys semistriatus -4
Atys semistriatus shell -1
Haminoea sp. shell -1
* Cratena lineata -100+
Cratena simba -1
Elysia sp. 11 -1
Eubranchus sp. 10 -5
Facelina sp. 8 -1
Flabellina lotos -35
Goniobranchus daphne -1
Goniobranchus decorus -1
Goniodoridella savigny -12
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -41
Goniodoridella sp. 5 -1
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -1
Hypselodoris obscura -12
Mnestia sp. 1 shell -1
Philinopsis falciphallus -2
Phyllodesmium opalescens -1
Pteraeolidia semperi -2
Tenellia sp. 32 -6
Tenellia sp. 44 -11
Unidentia sp. 1 -2

Afternoon entry

Ready to go!

Substrate

Substrate

Hypselodoris obscura

Hypselodoris obscura

Cratena lineata

Elysia sp. 11

Goniodoridella savigny

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Goniodoridella sp. 5

Goniodoridella savigny mating

Mnestia sp. 1 shell

Cratena simba 

Flabellina lotos

Flabellina lotos

Substrate

Tenellia sp. 44

Tenellia sp. 32

Tenellia sp. 44

Tenellia sp. 32

Tenellia sp. 44

Eubranchus sp. 10

Eubranchus sp. 10

Cratena lineata

Eubranchus sp. 10

Goniobranchus daphne

Philinopsis falciphallus

Philinopsis falciphallus

Philinopsis falciphallus

Facelina sp. 8 

Haminoea sp. shell

Aglaja fulvipunctata

Aglaja fulvipunctata

Friday, July 26, 2019

Species List: 25-07-2019, Fish Cage, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

21 species sighted at Fish Cage, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 25-07-2019.

A single shore entry dive by Gary and Gail of 128 minutes. Maximum depth 5.9 m, 20 C water temperature and 12+ m viz.

Another beautiful sunny winters day. Looking at the river from the shore makes you smile, the water is so clear! Hurry suit-up. On the bottom the vis was outstanding, a waste for me because I am head-down. Cratena lineata was out in force, hundreds of animals. For me finding Mexichromis sp. again was really special, such a jewel. The tire has a colony of Kabeiro christianae with it distinctive egg mass.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Atys semistriatus shell -1
Bulbaeolidia alba -1
* Cratena lineata -100+
Eubranchus sp. 3 -1
Eubranchus sp. 10 -5
Flabellina lotos -45
Goniobranchus daphne -2
Goniobranchus decorus -1
Goniodoridella savigny -16
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -33
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -1
Hypselodoris obscura -9
Hypselodoris zephyra -1
Kabeiro christianae -3
Mexichromis sp. 1 -1
Mnestia sp. 1 shell -1
Philinopsis speciosa -2
Pteraeolidia semperi -5
Tenellia sp. 24 -2
Tenellia sp. 32 -3
Tenellia sp. 44 -6

Entry

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Substrate

Pteraeolidia semperi

Fish Cage

Looking up from 6 m

Substrate

Hypselodoris obscura

Pteraeolidia semperi

Goniodoridella savigny 

Philinopsis speciosa

Philinopsis speciosa

Eubranchus sp. 10

Eubranchus sp. 10

Flabellina lotos

Hypselodoris obscura

Tenellia sp. 24

Hypselodoris zephyra

Cratena lineata

Bulbaeolidia alba

Goniobranchus daphne 

Kabeiro christianae

Kabeiro christianae

Kabeiro christianae

Kabeiro christianae

Kabeiro christianae home

Gail on the hut

Mexichromis sp. 1

Substrate

Goniodoridella savigny 

Flabellina lotos

Goniodoridella savigny 

Tenellia sp. 32

Tenellia sp. 32

Tenellia sp. 44

Goniobranchus decorus

Atys semistriatus shell

Tenellia sp. 44

Tenellia sp. 32 and Tenellia sp. 44 with egg masses

Eubranchus sp. 3