Gary Cobb
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 Gary is the type of guy who dosen't take no for an answer until the answer is found.
Originally from Florida in the United States, he moved to Australia in 1990. Diving back in the early 1970s was the start of his love of the ocean. Having surfed for many years the ocean has always "been there".
After giving up a long successful adventure in skydiving (5100 jumps) Gary decided to get back into diving. After being shown a red and white spotted Nudibranch on a wreck in Vanuatu the addiction started. He found that it was impossible to remember Nudibranchs and get accurate identifications. So he bought a Nikon Coolpix 5000 with Subal housing and his quest to discover all the Nudibranchs in his "backyard".
Gary also wants to enlighten, educate and make everyone who will listen, about Nudibranchs. You could say he is obsessed!
 A graphic designer, artist and photographer by profession for many years, has helped in his quest by designing and building a book and website about Nudibranchs.
Besides being "excited" about Nudibranchs, Gary likes to dive every weekend with his dive buddy David Mullins and Rock climb. Always 'on the go' takes Gary somewhere out-there! Hiking is a fav pastime too.
<- A World Record for the Longest Submergence on a single 12L tank of air was broken on Sept 2003 by Greg Riddell and Gary at Sunshine Plaza Maroochydore Sunshine Coast Australia. They broke the record with a time of 7 hours 40 minutes and 14 seconds.
Learn more about Gary and David's gear>
Dr. Richard Willan
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 Dr. Richard C. Willan has been studying nudibranchs for almost 40 years. He obtained his B.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Auckland studying the taxonomy and ecology of side-gilled sea slugs and sea hares. He then crossed the "ditch" as the Tasman Sea is popularly called to join the staff of the Zoology Department at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. After 12 years there, he moved into the tropics to take up the Curatorship in Molluscs at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin. He is a keen and still active diver. His research deals with the names (nomenclature), relationships (taxonomy) and evolutionary lineages (phylogeny) of nudibranchs (and other opisthobranchs - like bubble snails, sea hares, sap suckers and side-gilled sea slugs). He has published four books and numerous scientific papers on nudibranchs. Most recently he wrote the book "Undersea Jewels: A Colour Guide to Nudibranchs" with Gary Cobb. He has prepared several applications on the names of nudibranchs to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. He has supervised several postgraduate students working on research projects associated with nudibranchs.
Richard Willan has described following species
- Armina aoteana Miller & Willan, 1986
- Bathyberthella antarctica Willan & Bertsch, 1987
- Bathyberthella zelandiae Willan, 1983
- Dermatobranchus pulcherrimus Miller & Willan, 1986
- Flabellina bilas Gosliner & Willan, 1991
- Flabellina delicata Gosliner & Willan, 1991
- Flabellina exoptata Gosliner & Willan, 1991
- Flabellina riwo Gosliner & Willan, 1991
- Flabellina rubropurpurata Gosliner & Willan, 1991
- Heterodoris antipodes Willan, 1981
- Hypselodoris jacksoni Wilson & Willan, 2007
- Janolus eximius Miller & Willan, 1986
- Janolus ignis Miller & Willan, 1986
- Janolus mokohinau Miller & Willan, 1986
- Marioniopsis platyctenea Willan, 1988
- Phidiana pegasus Willan, 1988
- Thecacera boyla Willan, 1989
And also described:
Suprafamilial-level:
Cladobranchia Willan & Morton, 1984
Dexiarchia Schrödl, Wägele & Willan, 2001
Nudipleura Wägele & Willan, 2001
Genus level:
Anidolyta Willan, 1987 (Tylodinidae)
Bathyberthella Willan, 1983 (Pleurobranchidae)
Following species are named after Richard Willan:
|
David Mullins
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
David has been diving since 1974 at which time there were no national certifying agencies for scuba but he was taking underwater photos long  before then with a Nemrod Siluro (box brownie type) underwater camera from Spain which used flash bulbs that he carried in an old football sock.
He had developed a love of boating, marine ecosystems and of Moreton Bay early on from his father on their frequent bay and offshore fishing trips. Back in the 1980’s David sailed Moreton Bay every weekend in his own 33 foot trimaran, “Samorn” with family aboard, and diving whenever time and tide permitted.
He has undertaken very few trips away to exotic locations due to work commitments, preferring anyway to focus on his “backyard”, the local south-east Queensland sites and its wildlife. He has had photographs and articles published under his mantle of “Marine Images”.
During the late 70’s and early 80’s he won and was placed in a number of national underwater photographic competitions.
Above: David in branching mode.
In the early 80’s he left his professional acupuncture career and put on hold his part time marine science studies to work in and develop the family business. It was during this period that David became a warranted leader with the Scout Association both in the Cub Scout and Venturer sections as well as instructing in canoeing and abseiling activities. These times hold many treasured memories but were also marked by tragic attempts at learning to play the saxophone.
In 2003 after a hiatus of a number of years, due to family and business commitments, he returned to diving and underwater photography with a vengeance and the encouragement of his wife Trish. With a skills and equipment upgrade including the eventual replacement of the faithful “Nikonosaurus” with a digital model he hit the water and teamed up with Gary Cobb (a kindred spirit) in the quest to find and document all the Opisthobranchs on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.
David has recently retired from the pressures of his successful engineering business and now spends every weekend scouring the coastal reefs and intertidal rocks for not only the next species to add to the list but also a photographic record of their natural history.
Although an amateur, David is committed to ensuring the team has all the equipment and skills required to run a professional, independent operation. His love of marine biology studies has never waned and his desire to know the why as well as the way of things still burns strongly.
Learn about our Gear
|
