Nudibranch Central: January 2020

Friday, January 31, 2020

Species List: 31-01-2020, Rotunda upriver, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

17 species sighted at Rotunda upriver, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld. 31-01-2020.

A single shore entry dive by Gary and Brenton of 203 minutes. Maximum depth 5.5 m, 28 C water temperature and up to 8m viz.

Another summer dive. 28 C water temp was quite nice. The clarity of the water has improved as well. This site has a thick layer of silt and a lot of food sources seem to be on the way out. The Tenellia species found today have red spots on the cerata vs. black found last week...new species??

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Atys sp. shell -5
Doto sp. 6 -4
Facelina sp. 11 -6
Flabellina lotos -17
Goniobranchus daphne -3
Goniobranchus geometricus -1
* Goniodoridella sp. 1 -19
Haminoea sp. shell -2
Hypselodoris obscura -17
Jorunna parva -1
Lomanotus sp. 5 -1
Pteraeolidia semperi -2
Retusa sp. 5 shell -3
Roxaniella leucampyx shell -1
Tenellia sp. 62 -5 with red spots
Thuridilla carlsoni -2
Tornatina sp. shell -1

A summer entry

Drifting

Substrate

Goniobranchus daphne

Hypselodoris obscura

Substrate

Pteraeolidia semperi

Flabellina lotos

Pteraeolidia semperi

Tenellia sp. 62 with red spots

Goniobranchus geometricus

Doto sp. 6

Lomanotus sp. 5

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Thuridilla carlsoni

Roxaniella leucampyx shell

Atys sp. and Haminoea sp. shells

Facelina sp. 11

Flabellina lotos

Tornatina sp. shell

Goniobranchus daphne

Retusa sp. 5 shell

Jorunna parva

Haminoea sp. shell

Species List: 29-01-2020 Gneering Shoals, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

Many species where found today while helping a film crew. There was no camera on this trip. Gneering Shoals, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld. 29-01-2020

During a safety stop on the second dive Hydromyles globulosus 4 mm was seen swimming in mid water right toward me. There were 2 animals. This could be a new record for Queensland.

Nerida Wilson was very excited!

Hydromyles globulosus

Hydromyles globulosus anterior end

Hydromyles globulosus dorsal side

Hydromyles globulosus ventral side

Hydromyles globulosus at rest

Hydromyles globulosus

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Species List: 24-01-2020, Fish Cage, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

17 species sighted at Fish Cage, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Qld. 24-01-2020.

A single shore entry dive by Gary, Jo and David of 183 minutes. Maximum depth 6.5 m, 24 C water temperature and up to 4m viz.

Another river dive after rains was not as bad as I thought with a max of 4 m viz. The water temp has dropped 4 degrees in 4 days! The 2.0 m tidal flow wasn't bad either. The Myja species continues to flourish with healthy hydroid colonies. The sand did not have much to give but another Gymnodoris sp. 25 was recorded.

Before we started gearing up I discovered there was a diesel spill in the river, you see the slick and smell it, maybe from the dredges and sand pumper at the river mouth.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Atys semistriatus shell -1
Elysia sp. 11 -1
Facelina bourailli -1
Flabellina lotos -1
Goniobranchus daphne -1
Goniodoridella savignyi -2
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -17
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -1
Gymnodoris sp. 25 -1
* Hypselodoris obscura -20
Hypselodoris zephyra -1
Myja hyotan -2
Myja sp. 1 -6
Retusa sp. 5 shell -1
Tenellia sp. 23 -1
Thuridilla carlsoni -2
Weinkauffia reliqua shell -1