Thursday, March 13, 2014

Species List: La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Sunshine Coast, 11-03-2014

10 species found on a single afternoon/evening dive at La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Sunshine Coast.
Julie, Terry & David on this 161 minute dive in water depths to 6m. 4m viz & 25C water temp.
We were very keen to return to this site again and record more of our latest species Unidentia angelvaldesi. This time whilst we did not see all of the same species as last time we did sight others. Unbeknown to us at the time we also recorded some Flabellina rubrolineata in amongst the Unidentia angelvaldesi the fact not coming to light until we closely reviewed our pics post dive.

* Species with the highest specimen count

Flabellina rubrolineata 3
Goniobranchus daphne 27
Goniobranchus geometricus 2
Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus 1
Goniodoridella sp. 1 1
Hypselodoris obscura  2
Pteraeolidia ianthina 11
Philinopsis pilsbryi 4
Trinchesia yamasui 1
* Unidentia angelvaldesi 30

Unidentia angelvaldesi - smooth rhinophores

Hypselodoris obscura

Pteraeolidia ianthina - pale form 
without much zooxanthellae in cerata

Pteraeolidia ianthina

Goniobranchus geometricus

Flabellina rubrolineata - observe the papillae 
on the posterior face of the rhinophores

Trinchesia yamasui

Trinchesia yamasui

Goniobranchus daphne 

Goniobranchus cf. reticulatus

Philinopsis pilsbryi

Unidentia angelvaldesi - feeding on 
their hydroid prey (silt shaken off)

Unidentia angelvaldesi - 
note orange hydroid exposed (ringed)

Unidentia angelvaldesi

Trinchesia yamasui