Sunday, March 9, 2014

Species List: Mooloolah River, Sunshine Coast, 08-03-2014

10 species found on a single dive at high tide in the Mooloolah River, Sunshine Coast.
Julie, Terry & David on this 126 minute dive in water depths to 6m. 4m viz, 26C water temp (no surge).
A very pleasant dive with large numbers of some species sighted as shown below. Variety of fish life was also healthy. With no significant rainfall for some time now the viz was reasonable aside from some occasional unavoidable stirring up of the fine silt. The highlight, and only realized post dive, was the finding of our 564th species Unidentia angelvaldesi and in incredible numbers. Smooth rhinophores and longer cerata are two of the visible features distinguishing it from Flabellina rubrolineata.

* Species with the highest specimen count

Atys sp. 1 (shell) 1
* Unidentia angelvaldesi 25 (New Species)
Goniobranchus aureopurpureus 1
Goniobranchus daphne 20
Goniodoridella sp. 1 4
Hypselodoris obscura  1
Phyllodesmium poindimiei 1
Pteraeolidia ianthina 14
Trinchesia cf. yamasui 1
Trinchesia yamasui 1

Entry & exit point on the south bank

Silty substrate

Fish cage - old service platform for beacon

Goniodoridella sp. 1 - dorsal view

Goniobranchus daphne - gill contracted

Unidentia angelvaldesi - one of many variations

Pteraeolidia ianthina

Lots of egg coils & cocoons sighted

Pteraeolidia ianthina - white form 
lacking stores of zooxanthellae

Hypselodoris obscura

Unidentia angelvaldesi

Unidentia angelvaldesi

Trinchesia yamasui

Trinchesia cf. yamasui

Goniodoridella sp. 1 - side elevation

Phyllodesmium poindimiei

Goniobranchus daphne - gill expanded

Goniobranchus aureopurpureus - head on

Goniobranchus aureopurpureus