DAY/DATE
Monday
24/01/2022
SITE/S
La Balsa Park
PARTICIPANTS
Julie, Terry & David
TYPE
Subtidal
MODE
Shore Entry
VESSEL
–
DIVE
1
SITE/S
La Balsa Park (Toilet Block Entry)
SPECIES #
17
DURATION
130 Min
DEPTH/RANGE
To 6.4 m
TEMP.
27 C
VIS.
To 1.5 m
SURGE
–
CURRENT
Usual tidal run
COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS
The conditions offshore have not been conducive to pleasant diving of late (wind & swell), so we decided to dive the Mooloolah River, mainly to give our new camera rigs another workout. The tidal differential was not large so we opted for the toilet block entry. The visibility was up to 1.5m (2m if you call seeing a blur of hazy colour on your buddy’s equipment visibility). The usual subjects were there: Flabellina lotos, Goniobranchus daphne, Goniodoridella sp. 01 and Hypselodoris obscura. Plocamopherus ceylonicus, Thordisa albomacula and Tenellia sp. 47 were uncommon additions and gratifying to record.
Taxonomic Diversity:
13 of the 17 species sighted were dorids comprising 5 x cryptobranchs (contract gill into a pocket) and 8 x phanerobranchs (unable to retract gill) with the remaining 4 being aeolids.
Our Historical data:
– 81 surveys conducted at this site since the first on 22/03/2014.
– Last surveyed 24/07/2021
– 227 species recorded by us at this site.
– Our most commonly recorded species at this site are: Hypselodoris obscura (89%), Goniodoridella sp. 1 (85%), Pteraeolidia semperi (81%), and Goniobranchus daphne (77%).
– Gymnodoris sp. 28 is a new sighting for us on the Sunshine Coast.
– Our sightings of Pteraeolidia semperi at this site peak in April, so sightings could be expected to increase over the coming months.
– Three of the species recorded on this survey, Plocamopherus ceylonicus, Tenellia sp. 47 and Thordisa albomacula, have only been sighted once previously at this site.
Guide to Symbols:
+++ New Species
+ First time sighted at this site
# Most commonly sighted at this site with %
TOTAL SPECIES SIGHTED: 17
SPECIES LIST – ALPHABETICAL
Flabellina lotos -10
Flabellina rubrolineata -1
Goniobranchus aureopurpureus
Goniobranchus daphne -10 #77%
Goniobranchus splendidus -2
Goniodoridella savignyi -1
Goniodoridella sp. 01 -11 #85%
Gymnodoris alba -2
Gymnodoris sp. 09 -2
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -3
Gymnodoris sp. 23 -1
Gymnodoris sp. 28 -1 +++
Hypselodoris obscura -4 #89%
Plocamopherus ceylonicus -1
Pteraeolidia semperi -2 #81%
Tenellia sp. 47 -1
Thordisa albomacula -1
SPECIES GROUPED BY ORDER
Nudibranchia
Flabellina lotos -10
Flabellina rubrolineata -1
Goniobranchus aureopurpureus
Goniobranchus daphne -10
Goniobranchus splendidus -2
Goniodoridella savignyi -1
Goniodoridella sp. 01 -11
Gymnodoris alba -2
Gymnodoris sp. 09 -2
Gymnodoris sp. 10 -3
Gymnodoris sp. 23 -1
Gymnodoris sp. 28 -1
Hypselodoris obscura -4
Plocamopherus ceylonicus -1
Pteraeolidia semperi -2
Tenellia sp. 47 -1
Thordisa albomacula -1
Cephalaspidea
–
Sacoglossa
–
Umbraculoidea
–
Pleurobranchoidea
–
Anaspidea
–