Nudibranch Central: Species List: 14-02-2024, Route 66 and back, Mooloolah River, La Balsa Park, Buddina, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Species List: 14-02-2024, Route 66 and back, Mooloolah River, La Balsa Park, Buddina, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.

18 species sighted at Route 66 and back, Mooloolah River, La Balsa Park, Buddina, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. 14-02-2024.

A single solo shore entry dive with Gary of 209 minutes, 1.7 m, maximum depth 5.8 m, 28 C water temperature, 2 m viz.

Question is... is the river clearing up? Mid-week outing yes! Arrived and dropped the GoPro to the bottom, just over a metre of vis so off I went. Murphydoris cobbi is still the common species and doing very well. Nice to see a couple of Dermatobranchus sp. 16 laying around with spawn. Hypselodoris sp. 10 with it yellow spotted gills was great to see. As I approached Big Rock at Rotunda there laying on the sand was a nice sized turtle. I shook its fin and it swam away. I continued the dive to the marker and found coffee rock exposed how strange. When I made my way back to Big Rock the turtle was there again. Gothum City has two beautiful Pineapple fish to enjoy. Today 171 nudibranchs were recorded. BTW the 1.7m tidal flow was fantastic clearing away fluff that was stirred up.

Species and numbers recorded:

Cratena lineata -3

Dermatobranchus sp. 16 -2

Flabellina lotos -7

Flabellina pseudolotos -2

Flabellina sp. 10 -1

Goniobranchus daphne -6

Goniodoridella unidonta -1

Haminoea sp. shell -1

Hypselodoris obscura -8

Hypselodoris sp. 10 -1

Liloa brevis shell -5