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Dive Reports

13-08-2021 Shellacey Reef

DAY/DATE

Friday

13/08/2021

SITE/S

Shellacey Reef
Outer Gneering Shoals

PARTICIPANTS

Terry, David

TYPE

Subtidal

 

MODE

Boat Dives

 

VESSEL

Rebel II

 

DIVE

1

2

SITE/S

Shellacey Reef

Shellacey Reef

SPECIES #

22

20

DURATION

78 Min

79 Min

DEPTH/RANGE

14-18m

14-18m

TEMP.

20C

20C

VIS.

15+ m

15+ m

SURGE

Light

Light

CURRENT

Nil

Nil

COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS

Near perfect surface conditions greeted us as we nosed out of the Mooloolah River on the way to our destination on the Outer Gneering Shoals. There were sets of swells but nothing to create uncomfortable conditions. Excellent visibility provided a good vista across the substrate as we searched the gutters, plateaus and bluffs that comprise this site. Thorunna daniellae and Hypselodoris lacuna were nice finds not having been sighted for some time. Six Chromodoris species and also six Hypselodoris species were recorded. Gymnodoris sp. 10, Hypselodoris lacuna, Chromodoris sp. 5, Chromodoris strigata and  Goniodoridella savignyi are rare sightings at this site. Okenia hallucigenia is not a commonly sighted species either however, our previous two visits here also recorded it. A new species to our Sunshine Coast list – Discodorid sp. 2 – was located under an old coral plate. Refer to its Species Profile page for a description.

Taxonomic Diversity:
28 of the 33 species sighted were dorids (85% of the total) comprising 5 x phanerobranchs, 4 x porostomes (all belonging to Phyllidiidae) and 19 x cryptobranchs (all but one belonging to Chromodorididae). The other 5 species comprised: 1 x dendronotid, 1 x arminid, 1 x cephalaspidean and 2 x sacoglossan sea slugs. No aeolids were recorded. If diet is considered then 25 of the 33 species sighted are spongivores.

Our Historical Data:
– This excursion brings the survey number to 53 at this site since 05/01/2011
– Last surveyed on 27/03/2021
– 171 species have been recorded here

Key to symbols
+++ New Species
+ First time sighted at this site
# Most commonly sighted at this site with %

TOTAL SPECIES SIGHTED: 33

 

SPECIES LIST – ALPHABETICAL

Aegires cf. citrinus 1/- +
Bornella anguilla 2/2
Chromodoris elisabethina 13/7 #92%
Chromodoris kuiteri 1/-
Chromodoris lochi 1/1
Chromodoris magnifica 1/-
Chromodoris sp. 05 2/-
Chromodoris strigata 1/-
Dermatobranchus rodmani -/2
Discodorid sp. 02 -/1 +++
Doriprismatica atromarginata 7/6 #87%
Glossodoris vespa 1/1
Goniobranchus kuniei 1/- +
Goniobranchus splendidus 5/1
Goniodoridella savignyi 1/-
Gymnodoris sp. 10 1/-
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/1
Hypselodoris bullockii -/1 +
Hypselodoris jacksoni 2/-
Hypselodoris lacuna 1/-
Hypselodoris maritima 1/-
Hypselodoris obscura -/3
Hypselodoris whitei -/2
Mariaglaja inornata -/1
Okenia hallucigenia -/1
Phyllidia varicosa 2/1
Phyllidiella lizae -/1 #87%
Phyllidiella pustulosa 3/4 #87%
Phyllidiopsis burni -/1
Thorunna daniellae 1/-
Thuridilla carlsoni 1/-
Thuridilla cf. splendens -/2
Verconia simplex -/1

SPECIES GROUPED BY ORDER

Nudibranchia
Aegires cf. citrinus 1/-
Bornella anguilla 2/2
Chromodoris elisabethina 13/7
Chromodoris kuiteri 1/-
Chromodoris lochi 1/1
Chromodoris magnifica 1/-
Chromodoris sp. 05 2/-
Chromodoris strigata 1/-
Dermatobranchus rodmani -/2
Discodorid sp. 02 -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 7/6
Glossodoris vespa 1/1
Goniobranchus kuniei 1/-
Goniobranchus splendidus 5/1
Goniodoridella savignyi 1/-
Gymnodoris sp. 10 1/-
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/1
Hypselodoris bullockii -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 2/-
Hypselodoris lacuna 1/-
Hypselodoris maritima 1/-
Hypselodoris obscura -/3
Hypselodoris whitei -/2
Okenia hallucigenia -/1
Phyllidia varicosa 2/1
Phyllidiella lizae -/1
Phyllidiella pustulosa 3/4 
Phyllidiopsis burni -/1
Thorunna daniellae 1/-
Verconia simplex -/1

Cephalaspidea
Mariaglaja inornata -/1

Sacoglossa
Thuridilla cf. splendens -/2

Umbraculoidea

Pleurobranchoidea

DIVE IMAGES GALLERY

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