16 species sighted at Nudibranch Day Sunreef, Trench area, Gneering Shoals, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. 29-01-2023.
A double boat entry dive with Gary and David plus others of a 50 minute and 37 minute dive. Maximum depth 19.5 m, 24 C water temperature on bottom, warmer above that, up to 10-15 m viz.
To the Trench we were supposed to go but ended up in 20 m of water no surface current about 100 m to the south. After the first dive we headed to Shellacey Reef for a shallower dive only to find a ripping 3 knot surface current. Tried to get to the bow but no go. In that time the anchor line got caught in the prop. We then headed back to where the first dive was. Not a lot of species but some nice finds were had. One of the divers recorded a small blue with orange margin nudibranch. This looks like a new species of Nembrotha (an educated guess).
Species and numbers sighted:
Aegires citrinus -3
Chromodoris elisabethina -6
Chromodoris kuiteri -1
Dermatobranchus oculus -1
Dermatobranchus ornatus -1
Doriprismatica atromarginata -1
Elysia pusilla -1
Flabellina exoptata -1
Glossodoris vespa -1
Goniobranchus sp. 6 -1
Nembrotha sp. 3 -1 NEW SPECIES
Phyllidiella lizae -1
Phyllidiella pustulosa -2
Phyllidiopsis burni -1
Roboastra luteolineata -1
Thuridilla sp. 6 -1
Our ride
Surface
Substrate
Substrate
Flabellina exoptata
Flatworm
Flatworm large
Dermatobranchus oculus
Dermatobranchus oculus right next to the anchor
Roboastra luteolineata
Aegires citrinus
Aegires citrinus
Aegires citrinus
Thuridilla sp. 6
Shoot
Surface
Look at this
Goniobranchus sp. 6
Flatworm
Chromodoris elisabethina
Chromodoris kuiteri
Elysia pusilla
Nembrotha sp. 3 NEW SPECIES
Nembrotha sp. 3 NEW SPECIES
Nembrotha sp. 3 NEW SPECIES
Nembrotha sp. 3 NEW SPECIES
Doriprismatica atromarginata
Dermatobranchus oculus
Aegires citrinus
Thuridilla sp. 6
Phyllidiella pustulosa
Goniobranchus sp. 6
Chromodoris kuiteri
Phyllidiella lizae
Chromodoris elisabethina x2
Phyllidiopsis burni
