11 December: Bob's Rock and K41

A slow start to the nudi-hunt at Bob's Rock finished with an interesting collection - some old favorites and a new one that is still to be identified. All this at about 7.6m on the right side of Bob's.

What is it? Neville Coleman tells me it is a type of flatworm known as Pseudoceros goslineri. This guy was about 20mm long. Sadly, without the macro lens more detail was not available.

Am I mistaken or has something been munching on this fellow? It looks like a nice sized bite taken from the right of the body.

Here is what Neville Coleman (thanks, Neville) had to say about it: "This somewhat variable flatworm was named after the great Nudibranch taxonomist Dr. Terry Gosliner. It occurs across the Indo-Pacific and grows to around 50 mm. This specimen has been damaged at sometime and has a re growth at the rear of the back, making it look similar to a nudibranch."

The heavy rains the night before made both Bob's Rock and K41 tough for visibility - 10-15m (but not impossible). After an easy run along the coral wall at K41 (east), however, the western side threw as much current as it could at us. First came the rush of warm water from the shallows pushing us down deeper, soon to be followed by an extraordinary west-flowing gale that had us clamped to rocks and holding on for about 10 minutes until we clawed our way back to the exit point. Thoroughly exhausting!

This is the first time I have seen this nudi: Phylidia monacha at K41 on the coral wall at about 13m. Nudipixel tells me that this species is uncommon. Yeah!

Also the first time that I have seen this cooky little nudi (Reticulidia fungi): at 13m at K41

And while these 'warty' nudis are as common a muck, we are still recording their presence - 16m near the coral wall (east) Phylidia coelestis?.

And well done, Marcus for finding this little beauty (Phidiana indica?) West at K41 at around 7m. This guy was about 20mm long. Still wishing for that Macro lens (which is waiting for me in Adelaide as a Christmas present to myself!

And just for the fish lovers, a clown fish (I can rarely get one in focus because they move so much!)

At Bob's Rock