COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS

We launched into the Mooloolah River at La Balsa Park at dawn. Sunrise found us heading north over calm seas to the Arkwright Shoals off Pt. Arkwright at Coolum. From the surface, visibility looked to be okay but once on the bottom it was no more than 2 metres. This combined with a strong surge caused us to cancel the 2nd dive as we struggled to find critters and focus the camera upon them. The swell had been predicted to be less and this was the worst visibility thus far encountered at this site. It would seem we experienced the start of a powerful pulse that arrived onshore early. Nevertheless it was pleasant to be out on the water. An extremely small juvenile dorid was found post dive in the background of one of the photos. Too small to even hazard a guess at its id.

Taxonomic Diversity:
All nine of the sighted species were nudibranchs, with 6 being dorids comprising 1 x phanerobranch (non-retractile gill), 1 x porostome (suctorial feeders – all of the Phyllidiidae family), 4 x cryptobranchs (retractable gill – all 4 belonging to the Chromodorididae family) and 3 were cladobranchs comprising 3 x aeolids, 0 x arminids and 0 x dendronotinids. If diet is considered then 6 of the 9 species sighted are spongivores. Interestingly, only nudibranchs were sighted, the members of the other sea slug orders being absent or, more likely, managed to escape our attention. 19 specimens in total were recorded.

Our Historical Data:
– This excursion brings the number of survey dives to 60 at Terrys Delight since we commenced fully recording data here on 07/08/2013.
– 181 species have been recorded at this site.
– Our most commonly recorded species at Terrys Delight are Doriprismatica atromarginata (98%), Phyllidiella pustulosa (93%), Hypselodoris jacksoni (93%) and Sagaminopteron ornatum (83%).
– All of the species recorded on this survey are regular finds by us at this site.
– Our last survey at Terrys Delight was on 03/06/2021.
(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: 9

DIVE IMAGES GALLERY

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