Swimming Aplysia in Florida

February 25, 2004
From: J. Nicholas Boyd

Dear Bill,
I took this photo from boat off Pompano Beach [Southeast coast of Florida, USA, Atlantic Ocean coast]. It was close to shore swimming on surface like a ray but it was not a ray - it was about 1 foot across
can you help identify

J. Nicholas Boyd (Nick)
Boca Raton, Florida

nboyd@oceanlandinc.com

Boyd, J.N., 2004 (Feb 25) Swimming Aplysia in Florida. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12308

Dear Nick,
This is a Sea Hare, most probably Aplysia morio which is often found swimming in your part of the world. Another possibility is Aplysia brasiliana which is also a common swimmer in the Caribbean, but that has a much more mottled colour. Have a look at some of the earlier mesages, and the Fact Sheets I have linked to for information on these animals and their swimming behaviour.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2004 (Feb 25). Comment on Swimming Aplysia in Florida by J. Nicholas Boyd. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12308

Factsheet

Aplysia morio

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