Select Page

Dive Reports

15-03-2023 Nudi Ledge

DAY/DATE

Wednesday

15/03/2023

SITE/S

Nudi Ledge
Currimundi Reef 

 

PARTICIPANTS

David

 

TYPE

Subtidal

 

MODE

Boat Dives

 

VESSEL

Li’l Mischief

 

DIVE

1

2

SITE/S

Nudi Ledge

Nudi Ledge

SPECIES #

16

17

DURATION

78 Min

72 Min

DEPTH/RANGE

14-17 m

14-17 m

TEMP.

26 C

26 C

VIS.

8 m

8 m

SURGE

Nil

Nil

CURRENT

Nil

Nil

COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS

As the dawn broke across the horizon of a placid sea Li’l Mischief purred on a southerly course from the Mooloolah River entrance towards Currimundi Reef. Conditions such as these make for memorable diving excursions. Apart from a couple of yachts taking advantage of the improved weather and making their way back to Moreton Bay I almost had the ocean to myself. The anchor fell at the bottom of the ledge so I tied off the dive line to it, and took the reel up onto the ledge proper. I commenced my search, first to the right and on the second dive to the left. Finds worth a special mention include: Aegires sp. 01, Trapania vitta, Tenellia sp. 01, Tenellia sp. 03 and Thorunna halourga, the gills of the latter observed to be twitching most rapidly. This site produced more of the aeolid nudibranchs than recent dives on the Gneering Shoals or around Mudjimba Island.

Taxonomic Diversity:
23 of the 24 species sighted were nudibranchs, with 16 being dorids comprising 5 x phanerobranch (non-retractile gill), 4 x porostome (suctorial feeders – all of the Phyllidiidae family), 7 x cryptobranchs (retractable gill – all bar one, belonging to the Chromodorididae family) and 7 x cladobranchs comprising 5 x aeolids, 1 x arminid and 1 x dendronotinid. A single cephalaspidean rounds out the species numbers. If diet is considered then 14 of the 24 species sighted are spongivores.

Our Historical Data:
– This excursion brings the number of survey dives to 119 at this site since we commenced fully recording data here on 03/01/2010.
– 224 species have been recorded at this site.
– The most regularly recorded species at this site are: Doriprismatica atromarginata (97%), Phyllidiella pustulosa (93%), Phyllidia ocellata (88%) and Hypselodoris jacksoni (83%).
– This is the first time we have recorded Aegires sp. 01, Tenellia sp. 01and Thorunna halourga at this site.
– Furthermore, Tenellia sp. 1 and Thorunna halourga have not been recorded previously by us at any of the Currimundi Reef sites.
– The graph indicates that, while the number or organisms recorded at this site fluctuates substantially, the number of species recorded has remained relatively constant over time. (See Image Gallery below)
– This site last surveyed on 05/06/2022.
(Historical data courtesy of Terry Farr, who extracts it from his comprehensive database.)

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

TOTAL SPECIES SIGHTED: 24

 

SPECIES LIST – ALPHABETICAL

Aegires sp. 01 1/- +
Bornella anguilla -/2
Bulbaeolidia alba -/2
Chromodoris kuiteri -/2
Cratena simba 1/-
Dermatobranchus oculus -/1
Doriprismatica atromarginata 4/9 #97%
Goniobranchus geometricus -/1
Gymnodoris alba 1/1
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/-
Hypselodoris jacksoni 3/4 #83%
Hypselodoris obscura 1/-
Jorunna sp. 03 1/-
Sagaminopteron ornatum 2/5
Phyllidia ocellata 3/1 #88%
Phyllidia picta 1/-
Phyllidiella lizae 3/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 4/9 #93%
Pteraeolidia semperi 4/1
Roboastra luteolineata 2/1
Trapania vitta -/1
Tenellia sp. 01 -/1 +
Tenellia sp. 03 1/-
Thorunna halourga -/1 +

SPECIES GROUPED BY ORDER

Nudibranchia
Dorids
Phanerobranchs
Aegires sp. 01 1/- 
Gymnodoris alba 1/1
Hexabranchus sanguineus 1/-
Roboastra luteolineata 2/1
Trapania vitta -/1
Cryptobranchs
Chromodoris kuiteri -/2
Doriprismatica atromarginata 4/9 
Goniobranchus geometricus -/1
Hypselodoris jacksoni 3/4 
Hypselodoris obscura 1/-
Jorunna sp. 03 1/-
Thorunna halourga -/1

Porostomes
Phyllidia ocellata 3/1 
Phyllidia picta 1/-
Phyllidiella lizae 3/2
Phyllidiella pustulosa 4/9 

Cladobranchs
Aeolids
Bulbaeolidia alba -/2
Cratena simba 1/-
Pteraeolidia semperi 4/1
Tenellia sp. 01 -/1 
Tenellia sp. 03 1/-
Arminids
Dermatobranchus oculus -/1
Dendronotinids
Bornella anguilla -/2

Cephalaspidea
Sagaminopteron ornatum 2/5

Pteropoda

Sacoglossa
– 

Umbraculoidea

Pleurobranchoidea

Anaspidea

DIVE IMAGES GALLERY

PUT CURSOR ON IMAGE FOR SPECIES NAME
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE & SCROLL