Thursday, August 20, 2020

Species List: 20-08-2020, Rotunda upriver, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Qld.

13 species sighted at Rotunda upriver, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Qld. 20-08-2020.

A single solo shore entry dive Gary of 182 minutes. Maximum depth 4.6 m, 19 C water temperature up to 5 m viz.

Decided to give the Toilet Block a go after a long absence. Shortly after descending the current picked up and I mean picked up. This was a 1.5 m tidal flow and it was ripping! Nearly impossible to get any shots so I worked my way back to the start and decided to dive there in the shallows where the current wasn't as big. Turning over rocks was very successful. Right after high tide the current took off the other way and then it was time to get out! Despite the conditions some very nice species were found. I find it amazing that the species vary so much compared to the other two sites...no bubble-shells, no Unidentias and no Hypselodoris obscuras.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Anteaeolidiella ireneae -1
Bulbaeolidia alba -5
Cratena lineata -7
Dendrodoris nigra -1
Facelina sp. 3 -3
* Flabellina lotos -36
Flabellina sp. 9 -3
Goniodoridella savignyi -5
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -15
Goniodoridella sp. 9 -1
Spurilla braziliana -1
Tenellia sp. 23 -2
Tenellia sp. 49 -1 

Early entry

Goniodoridella savignyi

Substrate

Flabellina lotos

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Cratena lineata x3

Substrate

Substrate

Flabellina sp. 9

Spurilla braziliana

Dendrodoris nigra juvenile

Flatworm

Tenellia sp. 49 

Goniodoridella sp. 9

Flabellina lotos

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Bulbaeolidia alba

Tenellia sp. 23

Flabellina sp. 9

Bulbaeolidia alba

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Substrate

Goniodoridella savignyi 

Anteaeolidiella ireneae

Anteaeolidiella ireneae

Facelina sp. 3 x3

Tenellia sp. 23

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Species List: 12-08-2020, Rotunda upriver, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Qld.

 22 species sighted at Rotunda upriver, La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Mooloolaba, Qld. 12-08-2020.

A single solo shore entry dive Gary of 223 minutes. Maximum depth 5.6 m, 20 C water temperature up to 7 m viz.

A beautiful day greeted me at the river. The water looked clean and blue. Unidentia species and Goniodoridella savignyi still rule the roost. The first 20 minutes recorded 10 species! Embletonia gracilis and two large Philinopsis speciosa were great finds. The highlight was finding another new species...Placida barackobamai with its white line on the rhinophores.

Species and number thereof sighted
* Species with highest specimen count

Atys semistriatus shell -2
Atys sp. 8 shell -2
Bulbaeolidia alba -1
Costasiella kuroshimae -1
Cratena lineata -30
Embletonia gracilis -1
Eubranchus sp. 3 -1
Facelina sp. 11 -1
Flabellina lotos -41
Goniodoridella savignyi -52
Goniodoridella sp. 1 -5
Hypselodoris obscura -7
Kabeiro christianae -5
Knoutsodonta maugeansis -many unborn young
Liloa brevis shell -4
Philinopsis speciosa -2
Placida barackobamai -1 NEW SPECIES
Retusa amphizosta -5
Retusa sp. 6 shell -1
Roxaniella leucampyx shell -1
* Unidentia sp. 1 -53
Unidentia sp. 2 -17
Unidentia sp. 3 -10

Entry surface conditions - the drift

Substrate

Liloa brevis

Atys sp. 8 

Unidentia sp. 3 

Unidentia sp. 1

Unidentia sp. 2

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Placida barackobamai  NEW SPECIES

Cratena lineata

Flabellina lotos

Embletonia gracilis

Cratena lineata

Eubranchus sp. 3 

Goniodoridella savignyi 

Philinopsis speciosa 

Facelina sp. 11 

Flabellina lotos x4

Knoutsodonta maugeansis -many unborn young

Unidentia sp. 3

Philinopsis speciosa

Costasiella kuroshimae

Substrate

Substrate

Unidentia sp. 2

Hypselodoris obscura

Bulbaeolidia alba

Atys semistriatus

Flabellina lotos

Retusa sp. 6

Atys sp. 8

Kabeiro christianae

Kabeiro christianae

Substrate