Sea Hare? swimming

January 6, 2004
From: A. Agnost

I just (a couple of hours ago - 30 December 2003) saw a sea creatures which I have not seen before in my 57 yrs of life in Greek waters!

My immediate reaction was to search the web (of course). The closest I could find was the pix you have on this site. However the creature I saw was swimming slowly but deliberately right below the surface of the water, waving its winglike membranes like bat wings only much more gracefully; every so often it would stick its head a tiny bit out of the water. It had a round (almost pregnant looking) body. Its wings seemed to be fixed below this round body. Its neck would "stick" out of the winged part about 8-10 centimeters. It had a little "tail" section, about one or two centimeters beyond the end of its wings and it seemed to have two little tiny feet at the back with a tiny (third) one in the middle like a little tail. It was excreting some substance occasionally and it was definitely looking (or turning toward) at me as I was watching it. Its long neck was very flexible and agile.

So what do you make of it? I have been diving and snorkeling almost as far back as I can remember in these waters and have never seen anything like it ! Its color was dark brown almost black. Unfortunately no camera was available at the time!

The pictures in your article appear to be something like it only the one I saw was not wrapped up and did not have any spots. I would appreciate any info on the subject.

I'll go back with a camera, see if it would still be around. Who knows, maybe it is looking for a place to lay eggs (?).

Thanks
A. Agnost

tmgp2000@yahoo.com

Agnost, A., 2004 (Jan 6) Sea Hare? swimming. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11777

Dear M. Agnost,
Your animal sounds like it was a Sea Hare swimming. The most likely one would be Aplysia fasciata. If you scroll down the messages you will find quite a few with photos of this species swimming, including a message from Greece. I also discuss some of the reasons they sometimes swim in another message. Photos are always welcome.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2004 (Jan 6). Comment on Sea Hare? swimming by A. Agnost. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/11777

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