COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS

Warm waters and coral spawning mean there is a LOT of Trichodesmium and  coral spawn in the water at the moment. Unfortunately Horseshoe Bay conditions had deteriorated again since we looked yesterday so we checked out Rose Bay. Conditions did not look too bad and the North-easterly, Northerly winds meant the chop in the bay was minimal. Visibility in the shallows was reasonable but the further out we went the worse it became. The first critter we encountered was a large Aplysia argus powering across the substrate. This is the first time we have observed one with a reddish tinge, perhaps a reflection of the algae on which it has been feeding.

Our species count is lower this dive and we wonder if this is due to the time of day of the dive. Our recent dives have been conducted first thing in the morning, whereas this one was early afternoon. It may also be that we were in a slightly different spot today (hard to believe the variation on such a relatively small reef). Despite the low count, slight surge and the lousy visibility the warm water makes for a pleasant dive.

Taxonomic Diversity:
Seven of the nine species sighted were nudibranchs, all being dorids comprising 2 x porostome (suctorial feeders), 2 x phanerobranch (non-retractile gill), 3 x cryptobranch (retractable gill); and no cladobranch comprising 0 x aeolids, 0 x arminids and 0 x dendronotinids. One sea hare and one headshield slug (Aglajidae) complete the count. A total of 13 specimens were sighted.

Our Historical data:
– We have now completed 17 survey dives at this site since our first survey here on 21/11/2022.
 –  We have now recorded 68 species at this site.
 –  Our most commonly recorded species at this site are Gymnodoris suggens (previously our G. sp. 26) (53% of dives), Jorunna funebris (41% of dives), Phyllidia coelestis (41% dives) and, Hypselodoris bullockii (41% of dives)*.
 –  The most prevalent species we record here are Gymnodoris suggens (2.1/dive), Hypselodoris bullockii (2.1/dive), Haloa sp. 02 (1.8/dive) and, Hypselodoris emma (1.8/dive).
 –  We have recorded all of the species observed on this survey at this site previously.
 –  Although the species count on this dive is slightly lower than recent the count per dive continues to trend upwards at this site.
 –  Our last survey at this site was on 18/11/2025.

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

TOTAL SPECIES SIGHTED: 9

DIVE IMAGES GALLERY

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