COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS

Horseshoe Bay looked a little lumpy with a thick sludge of coral spawn and algae on the shoreline so we headed to Rose Bay instead. There was still a slight chop which made a light surge in the shallows and the water column contained coral spawn and algae fragments reducing visibility but otherwise conditions were acceptable. We found Algae Rock again and found several critters at this location, including the Aplysia argus and Oxynoe viridis. We headed east across the reef and found a smattering of critters including a couple of new ones for our database for this region.

Taxonomic Diversity:
Twelve of the fourteen species sighted were nudibranchs, ten being dorids comprising 4 x porostome (suctorial feeders), 0 x phanerobranch (non-retractile gill), 6 x cryptobranch (retractable gill); and two cladobranch comprising 2 x aeolids, 0 x arminids and 0 x dendronotinids. One sacoglossan and one Sea Hare complete the count. A total of 28 specimens were sighted.

Our Historical data:
– We have now completed 15 survey dives  at this site since our first survey here on 21/11/2022.
– We have now recorded 65 species at this site.
– Our most commonly recorded species at this site are Gymnodoris sp. 26 (57%), Elysia sp. 31 (43%), Jorunna funebris (38%) and Gymnodoris sp. 35 (43%).
 – The most prevalent species we record here are Haloa sp. 02 (2.2 per dive), Gymnodoris sp. 26 (2.2 per dive), Hypselodoris bullockii 2 per dive) and Hypselodoris emma (1.5 per dive).
 – This is the first occasion on which we have recorded Baeolidia sp. 01 on any of our dives and the first occasion on which we have recorded Goniobranchus fidelis or Jorunna sp. 03 in the Whitsundays.
– This is the first occasion on which we have recorded Bulbaeolidia alba, Mexichromis trilineata or Phyllidia elegans at this site.
– From the chart below you will note what appears to be a steady increase in the number of species recorded per dive at this site. We think that this is more a result of our getting to know the area and where to look rather than a true measure of abundance.
 – Our last survey at this site was on 05/11/2025

* Please note: that the Gymnodoris sp. names and abundance may change/fluctuate a little as we go through the process of correcting some of our past misidentifications.

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

TOTAL SPECIES SIGHTED: 14

DIVE IMAGES GALLERY

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