34 species sighted at Fish Cage to Point Rock and back, Mooloolah River, La Balsa Park, Buddina, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. 05-12-2023.
A single solo shore entry dive with Gary of 232 minutes, 1.9 m, maximum depth 6.3 m, 27 C water temperature, 1-4 m viz.
Time to dive, first of 2024 and exactly 7 days since the rains stopped. I have been looking at the bottom and each day it gets better. Today up to 4 m viz on a 1.9 m tidal flow. This has proven the fresh water from runoff is 1-2 m on the top of the water column. The big red gorgonian to the left of Fish Cage stairs up high is now dead while the two gorgonians with ovulids and lower down are healthy. Another new Gymnodoris was found today. And to top it off one beautiful pink *Naisdoris labalsaensis. This was a great dive and the river bottom survives.
* name coming soon!
Species and numbers recorded:
Cratena lineata -1
Dermatobranchus sp. 21 -1
Eubranchus sp. 10 -4
Facelina sp. 11 -2
Flabellina lotos -4
Goniobranchus collingwoodi -2
Goniobranchus daphne -9
Goniobranchus geometricus -4
Goniobranchus setoensis -10
Goniobranchus sp. 6 -4
Goniodoridella unidonta -2
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -6
Gymnodoris sp. 22 -2
Gymnodoris sp. 36 -3
Gymnodoris sp. 42 -3 NEW SPECIES
Hypselodoris obscura -23
Idaliadoris maugeansis -1
Liloa brevis shell -1
Murphydoris cobbi -35
Murphydoris puncticulata -2
*Naisdoris labalsaensis -1
Philinopsis falciphallus -4
Plakobranchus ocellatus -1
Pleurobranchus weberi -1
Plocamopherus ceylonicus -1
Retusa sp. 6 shell -1
Rostanga sp. 1 -2
Tenellia puellula -1
Tenellia sibogae (yellow) -1
Unidentia sp. 1 -7
Unidentia sp. 4 -4
Unidentia sp. 11 -2
Unidentia sp. 14 -3
Verconia simplex -1
Early entry
Early surface
Substrate
A healthy bottom
Murphydoris cobbi
Hypselodoris obscura
Goniobranchus daphne
Substrate
Murphydoris cobbi
Goniobranchus daphne
Murphydoris puncticulata
and then there were two!
Unidentia sp. 1
Goniobranchus setoensis
Rostanga sp. 1
Dermatobranchus sp. 21
Plocamopherus ceylonicus
Substrate
The Ovulid
The Ovulid's friend
Goniobranchus sp. 6
Murphydoris cobbi
Hypselodoris obscura
Tenellia sibogae
Flatworm
Cratena lineata
Occy
Goniobranchus setoensis
Unidentia sp. 1
Unidentia sp. 11 and Unidentia sp. 1
Flatworm
Tenellia puellula
A healthy bottom...
Unidentia sp. 14
Pleurobranchus weberi
Unidentia sp. 4
Still there!
Murphydoris cobbi party
Gothum City
Verconia simplex
Philinopsis falciphallus
Flabellina lotos
Substrate
Unidentia sp. 1
Plakobranchus ocellatus
Plakobranchus ocellatus
Philinopsis falciphallus
Hypselodoris obscura
Goniodoridella unidonta
Eubranchus sp. 10
Facelina sp. 11
Gymnodoris sp. 10
What the....
Unidentia sp. 4
Gymnodoris sp. 10 mating pair
Rostanga sp. 1
Unidentia sp. 11
Idaliadoris maugeansis
*Naisdoris labalsaensis
*Naisdoris labalsaensis
My special friend
Seal Rock
Gymnodoris sp. 36
Flabellina lotos
Goniobranchus sp. 6
Goniobranchus geometricus
Goniobranchus geometricus
Gymnodoris sp. 42 NEW SPECIES
Goniobranchus daphne
Goniobranchus collingwoodi
Goniobranchus collingwoodi
Goniodoridella unidonta
Eubranchus sp. 10
Liloa brevis
Fish Cage
Fish Cage debris
The top fresh water layer got it
Up high now dead
The other Ovulid - healthy
Exiting the fresh water top layer
