Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Species List: La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Sunshine Coast, 24-03-2014

13 species found at La Balsa Park, Mooloolah River, Sunshine Coast.
Terry and David on this 167 minute morning dive in water depths to 5m. Variable viz to 3m & 26C water temp.
We entered the water close to the end of the run out to low tide. The viz was only about half a metre but we managed to stay in touch with each other using our dive lights until the tide turned and the viz improved. We probably only covered about 50m towards the mouth of the river from the last set of stairs in the park proper. The dive revealed one species new to our list (Goniodoridella sp. 3), a find new for The Team (Myja longicornis), plus a few new ones recorded for this site. Pteraeolidia ianthina dominated the finds and were especially numerous in the deeper sections.

Species note: With regard to Myja longicornis, this is a new find for The Team. A much clearer image showing the salient features of the species can now head that page on the website.

* Species with highest specimen count

Bulbaeolidia alba 8
Elysia asbecki 1
Facelina sp. 3 1
Goniobranchus daphne 7
Goniodoridella savignyi 3
Goniodoridella sp. 1 5
Goniodoridella sp. 3 1 (our 568th species)
Hypselodoris obscura 5
Myja longicornis 1 (a new find for the team)
Phidiana bourailli 1
* Pteraeolidia ianthina 31
Trinchesia yamasui 1
Unidentia angelvaldesi 14

Unidentia angelvaldesi

Bulbaeolidia alba

Myja longicornis on its hydroid food

Goniodoridella sp. 1

Facelina sp. 3 

Goniobranchus daphne

Trinchesia yamasui

Pteraeolidia ianthina - mating

Hypselodoris obscura - mating

Goniodoridella savignyi

Goniodoridella sp. 3 (our 568th species)

Goniodoridella sp. 3 - under the microscope

Phidiana bourailli

Phidiana bourailli - under the microscope

Phidiana bourailli - under the microscope

Facelina sp. 3 - under the microscope

Elysia asbecki - under the microscope

Myja longicornis

Myja longicornis - under the microscope