A stylised rendition of mangrove leaves as fruits floats upon a yellow background suggestive of the forms of pneumatophores, gentle waves and mangrove fruits

The St Kilda salt fields brine spill – Mangrove disaster and a wake up call for the SA Government

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If you’ve been following the news in South Australia over the past few months, you’re probably aware of the many hectares of dead, dying and distressed vegetation in the St Kilda salt marshes. The most recognisable of these is the iconic grey mangrove, Avicennia marina, which can be seen up […]

Nudibranchs and other sea slugs of the Port River, South Australia

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The Marine Life Society of SA was recently asked which species of sea slugs (which include nudibranchs) are found in the Port (Adelaide) River. We’ve only just started exploring the river underwater, so the list below is very much a work in progress. Prior to 2017, as far as we […]

Elysia expansa, Fletcher's Dock 2018

The Port River – over 100 marine and coastal species and counting

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I was first inspired to pay more attention to this often overlooked ecosystem by the discovery of the upside-down jellyfish, Cassiopea sp. there in 2016 by MLSSA president and area resident, Steve Reynolds. My personal explorations soon followed, beginning at Garden Island. There, a snorkeller can easily step into the […]

The Upside-down Jellyfish, Cassiopea ndrosia

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The last thing that I expected to be doing on the first days of my recent retirement from work was studying jellyfish, but that’s exactly what happened! That’s just the way that things go sometimes. It all started over the Queen’s Birthday holiday long weekend last June though, as far […]

European fan worm

The European Featherduster Worm (Sabella spallanzani)

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South Australian divers may have heard a little bit about the introduction of exotic species into Australian waters. It is said to be an increasing problem but we do not see much evidence of it in SA waters. Fortunately, we have not yet seen anything of the large Northern Pacific […]