DAY/DATE
Friday
17/12/2021
SITE/S
Outriggers Ramp
PARTICIPANTS
Julie, Terry & David
TYPE
Subtidal
MODE
Shore Entry
VESSEL
–
DIVE
1
SITE/S
Outriggers Ramp
Golden Beach
SPECIES #
4
DURATION
121 Min
DEPTH/RANGE
To 4 m
TEMP.
27 C
VIS.
4 m
SURGE
–
CURRENT
Strong tidal run
COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS
Over a year has passed since we last dived at this site. The incoming tidal current was quite strong so we waited a little longer than usual before entering the water. Upon drifting back and descending it was still a struggle to grimly hang on, to search and to photograph so we swung inshore and sheltered behind the small rock groyne for a few more minutes. The underside of many small rocks were examined and Spurilla braziliana together with their spawn were the dominant find. Terry and David are still on a steep learning curve with their new underwater camera rigs, a process in no way assisted by the strength of tidal flow. As usual at this site, the species count was not high. When the tidal flow finally stopped in the few minutes before it changed direction we luxuriated in the freedom to swim about and hover above a subject to photograph it. An unusual small aeolid was found and the markings could not be exactly matched. A little imaginative thinking leads us to believe it is a juvenile Spurilla braziliana.
Taxonomic Diversity:
Not too much to discuss here. All species were nudibranchs: 1 x phanerobranch (unable to retract gill), 1 x porostome (radulaless suctorial feeder), 1 x aeolid and 1 x arminid.
Our Historical data:
– 14 surveys conducted at this site since our first survey here on 11 February 2019.
– 57 species recorded by us at this site.
– Our most commonly recorded species at this site are: Goniobranchus daphne (60%), Hypselodoris obscura (33%), Anteaeolidiella lurana (27%) and Spurilla braziliana (27%) the only one of these recorded on this survey.
– This was the first time we have recorded Dermatobranchus sp. 12 at this site.
– This site last surveyed on 12/10/2020.
Guide to Symbols:
+++ New Species
+ First time sighted at this site
# Most commonly sighted at this site with %
TOTAL SPECIES SIGHTED: 4
SPECIES LIST – ALPHABETICAL
Dendrodoris nigra -2
Dermatobranchus sp. 12 -2 +
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -1
Spurilla braziliana -8 #27%
SPECIES GROUPED BY ORDER
Nudibranchia
Dendrodoris nigra -2
Dermatobranchus sp. 12 -2
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -1
Spurilla braziliana -8
Cephalaspidea
_
Sacoglossa
–
Umbraculoidea
–
Pleurobranchoidea
–
Anaspidea
–