COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS

What can we say, but back to Rose Bay whilst the westerlies continue to blow. As usual we took a slightly different direction again across the reef then around the corner. Although we did not find a large variety of critters today we did find Kaloplocamus acutus which is a new find for this site and one that we have only seen once before in this region, out at Holbourne Island. Another good find was an adult Tritoniopsis elegans, we have only been finding tiny ones. The olive sea snakes were out and about again today and one took a fancy to Terry’ s fins, flicking its tongue and “ tasting” the rubber. It gave up after an unintended nudge with the fin (Terry did not even know it was there).

Taxonomic Diversity:
All seven species sighted were nudibranchs, 5 being dorids comprising 1 x porostome (suctorial feeders), 3 x phanerobranchs (non-retractile gill), 1 x cryptobranch (retractable gill); and 2 cladobranchs comprising 1 x aeolid, 0 x arminids and 1 x dendronotinid. A total of 11 specimens were sighted. If diet is considered, only two of the seven were spongivores.

Our Historical data:
– We have now completed 24 survey dives at Rose Bay since our first survey here on 21/11/2022.
– We have recorded 82 species at this site.
– Our most commonly recorded species at this site are Gymnodoris suggens (50% of dives), Jorunna funebris (46% of dives), Phyllidia coelestis (42% dives) and Hypselodoris tryoni (35% of dives).
– The most prevalent species we record here are Gymnodoris suggens (2/dive), Hypselodoris bullockii (1.5/dive), Hypselodoris emma (1.5/dive) and, Haloa wallisii (1.3/dive).
– This is the first time we have recorded Coryphellina aurora or Kaloplocamus acutus at this site.
– Our last survey at this site was on 30/05/2026.
(Historical data courtesy of Terry Farr, who extracts it from his comprehensive database.)

Guide to Symbols:
+++ New Species
+ First time sighted in Whitsundays
# Most commonly sighted at this site with %

TOTAL SPECIES SIGHTED: 7

DIVE IMAGES GALLERY

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