Full Record

Shirley Slack-Smith : [Field notebook] : Soela [27/11/1979-17/12/1979]
Record no:
Call no:
FN301
Author:
Year:
[27/11/1979-17/12/1979]
Description:
[98] p. ; 20 cm.
Subject:
Notes:
A field notebook detailing marine survey of the Monte Bellos Archipelago aboard the vessel "Soela", primarily by trawling/dredging, but some locales visited and observed via diving/snorkeling. Focus in notebook was given to marine molluscs (including squid), and seagrasses/algae. Also of note a visit to the nuclear testing site from the 1956 test on Alpha Island where some fused sand was collected.
Type:
Archives
Abstract:

[Abridged summary of species observed/ specimens collected with date and localities follow]
Wednesday 28-XI-79
Steaming northwards; Saw shearwaters (?wedge-tailed), Bridled or Sooty terns, & albotrosses (?Yellow-nosed Diomedea chlororynchos)


Thursday 29-XI-79
#1
Trawl off NW Cape, Start-Finish 10:20PM-11:20PM, Depth: approx. 1000 fathoms, net at approx. 500m; eel larvae - 2 spp?, various species of deep sea fish with large jaws - mostly black, very large eel with very large jaws, various small fish - some of the lizard fish family, 2 species of squid [4 specimens of one, 3 of other, both species described and sketched]
Sat. 1-XII-79
4 hydrological stations [mentioned in passing, details not given]
Plankton trawl, 5:30PM-6:00PM; chaetognaths (2 spp.), copepods (many spp.), jellyfish, salps - with brilliant blue spots inside, mollusc - pteropod? planispiral - compressed - brownish, hump-backed crustacean - shrimp-like polychaete, crustracean with very long rostral spine & 2 smaller posterior spines from corners of carapace, fish eggs & larvae.
Trawl Station #2
Dampier Archiepelago, Recovered about 9PM; 
sponges & spiky soft corals Nephthiidae
Mollusca: Amussium ballotti - 2 small, Limnidae - 2 spp. (1 with red tentacles - 2 spec.)(1 with yellow-cream tentacles - inside cavities of sponges - a series), Hiatellids - 2 dead in sponges - 1 small alive on live limnid in sponge, Trochids - large 3 specimens - black animals - don't know genus - Trochus?, Herpetopoma - in sponge crevices[?], Cardiid (red spots), Fragum?(Lunulicardia), Arcids 2 spp. (1 spec. each - both byssate), small Cymatiid, dead Megacardita thrown out, small Plicatula, 2 small chamids on piece of bryozoan, immature olivid? mashed in trawl, small dead Syrinx & hermit crab.
Cephalods: 1 cuttlefish - ?Sepia recurvirostris, 1 small squid -damaged, abt. 6 larger squid - Loligo chinenis?.
Selection of crabs - swimmers (abt 8 specs. - 2 kept), 1 round burrowing crab?, selection from sponge crevices.
Sponges: 1 very large cup sponge - yellow, assortment of other massie types, few branched sponges, Crinoids - including 2 c commensal shrimps & 1 with commensal ophiuroid, Ophiuroids mostly in sponges, Basket star, starfish - sand dwellers.
Holothurians - 1 large & rest small on sponges etc.
Sea fern - small squat + 1 long & thin with comp. ascidian growing over it.
Fish - many and varied.
Trawl #3: 20m, #4 & #5: 28m; during night (see data sheets for details). #4 Hemipecten on Turbinaria!
Sunday 2-XII-79
001/006: 20°29'S 116°00'E to 20°31'S 116°00'E; 37-38m; 0755hrs
001/007: 20°31'S 116°00'E to 20°32'S 116°00'E; 38m; 0855hrs
001/008: 20°18'S 116°01'E to 20°16'S 116°01'E; 60-64m; 1115hrs
001/009: 20°17'S 116°01'E to 20°18'S 116°01'E; 60m; 1240hrs
001/0010: 20°07'S 115°59'E to 20°05'S 116°00'E; 65-66m; 1500hrs
001/0011: 20°04'S 116°01'E to 20°06'S 116°00'E; 66m; 1600hrs
001/0012: 20°00'S 115°58'E to 20°03'S 115°57'E; 78-80m; 1935hrs
001/0013: 20°03'S 115°57'E to 20°01'S 115°58'E; 80m; 2110hrs
001/0014: 19°44'S 116°02'E to 19°46'S 116°00'E; 100m; 2300hrs
All these shots have been on the North-South transect, going north (2 for each location) & then coming south. The timing is arranged so each location is sampled both during the day & during the night.
Monday 3-XII-79
All shots for 30min at 3.5 knots unless otherwise specified.
001/0015: 19°46'S 116°00'E to 19°44'S 116°01'E; 100m; 0200hrs
001/0016: 19°29'S 115°59'E to 19°44'S 116°01'E; 140-142m; 0310hrs
001/0017: 19°30'S 116°01'E to 19°31'S 115°59'E; 142m; 0430hrs
001/0018: 19°32'S 116°00'E to 19°31'S 116°01'E; 144m; 0720hrs
001/0019: 19°31'S 116°02'E to 19°30'S 116°00'E; 143-144m; 0815hrs
many small squid & cuttlefish in last three trawls.
001/0020: 19°43'S 116°02'E to 19°44'S 116°01'E; 105-104m; 1105hrs; very little in trawl & almost nothing caught on net & warps etc.
001/0021: 19°44'S 116°02'E to 19°43'S 116°04'E; 105m; 1205hrs; again very little taken with lizard fish predominating & v. little benthos (? clean sand)
001/0022: 19°54'S 116°02'E to 19°55'S 116°00'E; 76-78m; 1425hrs; plenty of large sponges & soft corals - large Sepia recurvirostris? sample cuttlebone taken
001/0023: 19°55'S 116°00'E to 19°54'S 116°02'E; 78-76m; 1640hrs; plenty of large sponges, large Sepia recurvirostris(?) & young rabite[?] ?light coloured Amoria damoni
001/0024: 19°57'S 116°17'E to 19°58'S 116°18'E; 70-72m; 1945hrs; large catch, many big sponges & softs corals, few hydroids, few crinoids, v few small dumpling squid
001/0025: 19°58'S 116°19'E to 19°59'S 116°18'E; 73-72m; 2045hrs; large catch - many large sponges & soft corals, few dumpling squid or small cuttlefish, 1 large Sepia recurvirostris
Tuesday 4-XII-79
001/0026: 19°51'S 116°27'E to 19°50'S 116°28'E; 70-67m; 2320hrs [prev day?]; many large soft cral, little sponge, few large Sepia Recurvirostris (?) with mantle length to 12", very many small dumpling squid & few small cuttlefish.
001/0027: 19°50'S 116°28'E to 19°52'S 116°27'E; 68-70m; 0035hrs; many large sponges & a great deal of brittle bryozoa, very little soft coral, large Sepia recurvirostris (?)
001/0028: 19°45'S 116°38'E to 19°44'S 116°40'E; 57-60m; 0305hrs; many large sponges, dumpling squid common, 1 small cuttlefish, 1 octopus
The duplicate of this shot was trawled & abandoned - not numbered
001/0029: 19°45'S 116°35'E to 19°47'S 116°33'E; 60-64m; 0710hrs; large sponges (NB- this number was not used for last set of trawls due to fouling; so in front of new set)
001/0030: 19°47'S 116°33'E to 19°45'S 116°35'E; 64-60m; 0825hrs; large sponges & bottom "scunge", 2 medium sized Sepia recurvirostris, 2 ovulids but no soft coral!
001/0031: 19°49'S 116°30'E to 19°51'S 116°29'E; 65m; 1045hrs; small catch, large sponges, few bryozoa clumps, few large Sepia recurvirostris
001/0032: 19°52'S 116°27'E to 19°52'S 116°25'E; 66-68m; 1150hrs; small catch, few sponges, large Shark Ray (Rhinobatidae), few lizard fish, 2 large Sepia recurvirostris ?
001/0033: 19°57'S 116°17'E to 19°56'S 116°16'E; 70-71m; 1410hrs; cup type sponge (smooth inside reticulately ridged outside) c trochids (Calliostoma ? Astele ?), 6 large S. recurvirostris - 78", large number of squid (Loligo) - size range 1-20cm. [several pages of detailed description of trochids accompanying cup sponge]
001/0034: 19°57'S 116°16'E to 19°56'S 116°17'E; 71m; 1510hrs; large sponges, 9 large (ml[?]-8") S. recurvirostris, few small Loligo.
001/0035: 20°03'S 116°08'E to 20°03'S 116°10'E; 65m; 1920hrs; small catch - few large fish. Some large sponges, v little soft coral, many dumpling squid, few green octopus, few medium sized Sepia recurvirostris, Pleurobranches.
001/0036: 20°03'S 116°10'E to 20°04'S 116°00'E; 64m; 2015hrs; small catch, few large sponges, much brittle bryozoans, v few soft corals
Wednesday 5-XII-79
001/0037: 20°17'S 115°46'E to 20°16'S 115°47'E; 53-57m; 0055hrs; small catch, many hydroids, few massive sponges, v few soft corals, many bulky gelatinous compound ascidians, many pennatulids.
001/0038: 20°16'S 115°47'E to 20°17'S 115°46'E; 57-55m; 0155hrs; medium catch, v. large sponges, many soft corals
001/0039: 20°21'S 115°39'E to 20°20'S 115°41'E; 50-55m; 0345hrs; sponges & alcyonaria.
001/0040: 20°20'S 115°41'E to 20°21'S 115°39'E; 55-53m; 0455hrs; very rich haul, large sponges
001/0041: 20°21'S 115°38'E to 20°20'S 115°37'E; 52-50m; 0745hrs; very big haul, massive sponges, huge alcyonarians, huge gorgonian forms.
001/0042: 20°20'S 115°38'E to 20°19'S 115°39'E; 52m; 0815hrs; v. big haul
001/0043: 20°15'S 115°44'E to 20°15'S 115°46'E; 62-60m; 1400hrs; Very few large sponges, some soft coral, some little bryozoans, some hydroids. Net fouled twice so dare a third time - very small catch.
001/0044: 20°15'S 116°46'E to 20°14'S 115°48'E; 64m; 1500hrs; long pennatulids
001/0045: 20°04'S 116°06'E to 20°04'S 116°08'E; 63-62m; 1755hrs; multitude of crinoids! v. v. little sponge, bryozoa, hydroids, & soft corals.
001/0046: 20°00'S 116°09'E to 20°02'S 116°07'E; 63-65m; 1835hrs; large catch of fish, v v little 'trash' crinoids numerous but not as abundant as in #45.
001/0047: 20°05'S 116°01'E to 20°06'S 115°59'E; 65m; 2005hrs; small to medium catch, mostly fish, very little sponges (small sponges), v little soft corals, hydroids & bryozoans
001/0048: 20°06'S 115°59'E to 20°04'S 116°02'E; 65m; 2105hrs; small-medium haul, few large sponges, v v little soft coral, hydroids & bryozoans, v many jellyfish
001/0049: 20°16'S 116°02'E to 20°15'S 116°01'E; 55m; 2325hrs; medium sized haul, mostly large sponges, many jellyfish. Large yellow Lamellaria sp. with orange spots on tubercules.
Thursday 6-XII-79
001/0050: 20°15'S 116°02'E to 20°15'S 116°03'E; 60m; 0055hrs; large haul, many & varied fish, many large sponges, fair amount soft coral, few hydroids
001/0051: 20°26'S 116°00'E to 20°27'S 115°59'E; 45-44m; 0410hrs; very large haul, many & varied fish, large amount of sponges (massive & branched), large amounts of soft corals, very large number of pennatulids (long & yellow)
001/0052: 20°27'S 115°59'E to 20°26'S 116°00'E; 45-42m; 0502hrs; very large haul, many & varied fish, large amount of sponges (massive & branched), many clear jellyfish, many yellow long pennatulids, many squid (Loligo)
001/0053: 20°40'S 116°00'E to 20°42'S 116°00'E; 25-23m; 0805hrs; sponges, corals (Turbinaria)
001/0054: 20°49'S 116°00'E to 20°47'S 115°59'E; 18-22m; 1215hrs; small haul, very few invertebrates, much seagrass
001/0055: 1310hrs; much seagrass (& Halophila spinulosa), large haul of small fish, no invertebrates
Friday 7-XII-79
Sholl I., landed sand point running SE from about centre of island. walked up along NE side along sandy beach: [sketch map of route drawn] landing point 20°57'S 115°54'E, northern extent of walk 20°55.5'S 115°54'E; oysters - Saccostrea cuccullata, algae - Halophila Posidonia (?).
Faunal list for Sholl Island
Cephalopoda: Octopis sp., Hapalochlaena lunulata, Cuttlefish - 2 spp. apparently from appearance of beach drift cuttlebones.
Gastropoda: Cypraea lynx, Cypraea eglantina - live, C. cylindrica - live, C. caurica - live, C. hirundo - live, C. errones - live, C. moneta -live, C. kieneri, C. clandestina, C. caputserpentis, C. annulus, Trivirostra oryza, Erato, Cypraea vitellus - dead only, Thais echinata, Morula margariticola, M. marginalba, Peristernia incarnata, Cantharus erythrostoma, Syrinx aruanus, Planaxis sulcatis ?, Conus victoriae, Eumetra ?chalybeia, Haliotis squamata, H. varia, Trochus hanleyanus, Clanculus ?, Turbo() foliaceus, Turbo petholatus, Astraea pileola, Astrea stellare, Phasianella ?, Amalda elongata, Oliva caldania, Aulicina nivosa oblita, Ficus tesselata, Cerithium (Aluco) cumingii, Cominella sp ?, Alectrion glans, Mamilla opaca, Naticarius oncus, Naticarius alapapilionis - ! worn broken, Mamilla simiae, Notocochlis sagittata, Natica solida, Pyrene testudinaria, P. flava, P. scripta, Murex acanthostephes, Hexaplex stainforthi, Cronia avellana, Lambis sp. cf L. lambis, Strombus vomer. S. vittatus !, S. campbelli, S. urceus, S. mutabilis, Rhinoclavis brettinghami, Nerita undata
T5, E of Stewart I: approx. 20°53'S 115°58'E; large yellow lectibranch Aplysia ?sp., Amoria grayi (alive)Ancillista (dead), Scallops (Amusium & Anachlamys), Fusinus colus, Tudicula inermis, Conus capitaneus
T4, SE of SE Point (Sandy Point) of Shell Island: 20°58'S 115°55'E; 12m;
Saturday 8-XII-79
001/0056: W. of Steamboat Island, Passage Island, N.W.A.; 20°49'S 115°59'E; 19m; Coral, sponge & some Halophila spinulosa
001/0057: N. of Sholl Island, WA; 20°50'S 115°54'E; 19m; Zonaria
Sunday 9-XII-79
Diving off west side of Long Island, approx. 21°01'S 115°51'E, reef "slope"; Halophila, Sargassum, Halimeda, Caulerpa (fat feathers & fine feathers), Anadyomene (?) (open rosette, brittle, large cells), Barbatia fusca - dead, Lima scabra - dead, Hyotissa hyotis - alive, Ostrea folium - dead, Ostrea tuberculata - alive on Acropora as well as other corals, Hyotissa sp. - alive, Isognomon sp. (large - dark red - alive), Tectus obeliscus - alive, Astraea stellare - alive, Angaria - dead, Pinctada margaritafera - alive, P. albina (c Pinnothaerid(?) crab alive), Turbo petholatus - dead, Lambis lambis - alive, Aquaria - alive, Thais echinata - alive, Spondylus sp. (purple border), & other species retained as specimens (many bivalves presumably eaten by octopus etc). Tellina vingata - dead (just), Tonna canaliculata - dead, Melo amphora - dead, Syrinx - dead, Aulicina nivosa - alive, dead Glycymeris sp. (radians type dark)
Diving on reef flat; Halophila, Posidonia, ?urifera, Caulerpa, Bulinula, Cerithiids (2spp?), terebrids, Vexillum plicarium, Rhinoclavis bituberculata, Cerithium novaehollandiae, Cantharus undosus, Turbo folioceas, Angaria, Conus victoriae, Trochus hanleyanus. Strombus mutabilis, Agnewia[?].
Around ship; tectibranches (Aphysia?), shelled opisthobranches (Bulla?)
Monday 10-XII-79
001/0060: On route to Monte Bellos
001/0062: Calliostoma manile[?] [description of specimen given]
001/0063: Montacutids [description of specimen given], black Clanculus, Herpetopoma, small columbellids?
All off NW end of Long Island. approx. 21°00.5'S 115°50.5'E -> 115°51'E, depth 6'; Hypnaea, Dictyota, green bubbles, Anadyomene (rough Ulva-like), & other branched bunched deep reds, Halophila, Dumpling squid -?2spp, Bulla - small alive, Atys - white grooved shells, Diala, Haminaea - shell light horn coloured, Mytelid - posterior area long[?], Notocochlis sagittata.
T2, depth ~8' on rising tide; Caulerpa, Laurencia, Anadyomene? - green bubbles, fucoid (?Sargassum), ?Zostera? (very fine), green calcareous weed - cellular coloumnar or club-like, branching corallines (?Jania) & many others, juvenile limid (L. parafragile), shelled opisthobranchs, Atys, Haminaea.
T3, depth ~12' on rising tide; Halimeda. nudibranch (2 branched either side), squid, Bristle worm, Diala sp., small mytelid, limid (?Promantellum).
from Long I, yesterday; Astraea stellare
Tuesday 11-XII-79
#1
Trimouille Island area, weed ralgal at entrance to Big Lagoon. 20°28.51'S 115°31.5'E; Cardiids, Tellins, S. cuccullata
#2
"Mangrove Lagoon", SW corner of Island, 20°28.5'S 115°31.5'E; S. cuccullata, "perhaps another species", large granular chitons, T chamids, isognomonids(white), Bruguieria, Lithophagids.
#3
Beacon Hill, at head of Big Lagoon, 20°27.5;S 115°; 2 species camaenids, 1 pupillid(?0 (sinistral) -  dead under shrubs. In lagoon- very shallow; Goniopora (small clumps), Pinna (fairly common), Tridacna maxima, Trochus hanleyanus, Diodora (jukesii?), Cypraea annulus,  fulvia. Birds seen - pelicans, sea eagles or ospreys, dark oyster catcher, terns (Bridled?) & shags (pied?).
#4
S end of Hermite Island, 20°30'S; Sargassum (2 spp), sea grass (Thalassia), Halophila, Breynia, large yellow-brown cup sponge, cowrie with eggs, fissurellid trochid.
#5
 Reef, West of Hermite Island; Sargassum.
#6
Long sandy beach on West coast of Hermite Island; beach drift, many shells.
#7
"Home Lagoon", NW side of islet at entrance to "Home Lagoon"; mangal of "Avicennia marina" (?), (?Bruguieria), Hemidonax, mesodesmatid, beach drift - small molluscs.
#8
Small islet approx NNW of ship; turtles, gorgonian fans, Phyllidia on dead coral, Hyotissa so, Ostrea folium, Spondylus with purple internal rim, Chama lazarus, Chama sp. with spotted internal rim.
Wednesday 12-XII-79
SW end of Hermite Island, off beach which was #6 yesterday.
Dredge #1, 3m, box dredge, direction -180° (haul 1) -10 min, 360° (haul 2) 10 min; Gomphina undulosa, Timoclea (live?), live Phasianella, drifting Sargassum, live polychaete worms, dead shells of following - Spondylus, naticid, S. cuccullata, Septifer, chamid, glycymerid, buccunid, Conus dorreensis, C. victoriae, round burrowing crabs, portunids, isopods.
Dredge #2, further out off same beach - 3 hauls - 180° & 360° - 10 min each, depth ~6m;
First haul; Sargassum spp., Halophila ovalis, Syringodium, Thallassia(?), dead mactrid shells, Phasianella, Aphysia, polychaete worms, anemone, small biscuit urchins, Herpetopoma, live Lamellaria sp. on Sargassum, live nassariids. Second haul; Simple ascidians (yellowish), Breynia, tubular sponges, Sargassum, abundant small colonies of greenish-crey compound ascidians, portunids. Third haul; Sargassum spp, more Halophila ovalis than last haul, little Halimeda, Zonaria (rolled edges), Dictyota, live Prothalotia or somesuch, Phasianella on Sargassum, Lamellaria, Aphysia, crabs, many compound ascidians (encrusting and massive), biscuit urchins, a regular echinoid (small), Atys (?) alive, dead Myochama, vv little Caulerpa, portinuds, Pyrene.
Dredge #3, depth approx. 8m, off beach, 2 hauls, 180° & 360° of 15 min each;
Haul 1; peculiar brown weed [description given but omitted here], 1 live Phasianella.
Haul 2; Sargassum, Syringodium, Hypnaea, a great deal of the greenish-grey compound ascidian, seaweed crabs, Zonaria (rolled edges), Caulerpa (v. little of the fine feathers species), Thallassia (?), Halophila ovalis, Corallines (possibly Jania), pebble crab, portunids (3 spots on posterior part of cephalo-thorax), Padina (little), Naticid (small & alive), small gastropods , possibly olivids on weed, Herpetopoma, Aphysia with blue spots, Notarchus, biscuit urchins.
Dredge #4, well off sandy beach, approx. 8m, at 180°, 20 minute haul between rocky points of cove; Sargassum, Halimeda-type (long & flat & leathery & deep green), brittle bryozoa, lots of greenish-grey compound ascidian, Halimeda, Portunids (flat & rounder than usual), small biscuit urchins, ophiuroids, Pyrene, Phasianella, Halophil spinulosa, H. ovalis, Thalassia (?), simple ascidian (yellow on weed), Euminella sp (N. relatie of E. gruneri), Caulerpa (close set tails[?]), Lamellaria, Atys or Bullinula, sand-covered globular simple ascidians (seem to be covered with grey sand always).
Dredge #5, 2 hauls, haul 1 approx 13m approx 170°, haul 2 approx 5m, approx. due W of S tip of Hermite I.;
5/H1; small haul, Sargassum, Padina, Dictyotaceae with central vein (as in Dampier Archipelago), Hypnaea, Laurencia, stalked compound ascidians, portunids, few live Phasianella, Bullinulla (?), few dead shells - mostly bivalves & small scaphopod.
5/H2; Much Caulerpa (fine tails), Halophita ovalis, Codium (dead man's fingers), few reds, simple Ascidians (sandy balls), biscuit urchins - medium sized & small & ovoid, starfish, Dumpling squid, various dead bivalves.
Thursday 13-XII-79
Weed beds E of S end of Hermite I, diving 3-4m; tellins, psammobiids, cardiids, few arcids, venerids, small corallia, a few species of starfish, Echinaster, Linkia guildingii, ?Actinopyrga, Tripneustes [didn't collect], Echinometra [didn't collect], bailer, large brown & yellow ocellated holothurian. 
Alpha Island, atomic bomb testing site; collected few land snails (dead), fused sand from blast.
Snorkelling and collecting off Hermite I about opposite entrance to Big Lagoon; live cardiid (large), carditids (Cardita variegata?), live naticids & nassariids, saw small pennatulids in sand didn't collect any, found dead muricids, volutes etc.
[Notebook also contains organised write up of Station List, summarising locations and sampling towards end notes]    

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Contents:
A field notebook detailing marine survey of the Monte Bellos Archipelago aboard the vessel "Soela", primarily by trawling/dredging, but some locales visited and observed via diving/snorkeling. Focus in notebook was given to marine molluscs (including
squid), and seagrasses/algae. Also of note a visit to the nuclear testing site from the 1956 test on Alpha Island where some fused sand was collected.
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Location
Library
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Status
Year
Volume
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Archives room
Western Australian Museum
FN301
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1979