Is this a sea slug ??

February 14, 2006
From: Karen Beal

My daughter took this photo of what we may think is a sea slug - but we are not quite sure really what it is. I wonder if you might be able to identify what it is as we are intrigued. It has such beautiful colours & markings.

She found it just a few feet from the sea & there seems to be a baby one just next to it (that has maybe just been born)?..... She said it was about the size of an english penny.

Locality: Byron Bay, nthn New South Wales, Australia. March 2005, a foot away from the waters edge. Photographer: Angela Beal.

Hoping that you can help.
Karen

kybkaren@aol.com

Beal, K., 2006 (Feb 14) Is this a sea slug ??. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15798

Dear Karen,
This is indeed a sea slug, but it looks a sorry sight when washed up on the beach. It is Glaucus atlanticus, an animal that spends its whole life floating upside down on the water surface, feeding on a fleet of blue animals includingPhysalia (the Portugese man-o-war or Bluebottle). The 'baby' in the right of your daughter's photo is on of these other animals, but I am not sure which one. If you go to the relevant Fact Sheets by clicking on the underlined names you will find quite a bit of information on these fascinating animals. Don't forget to look at the 'related messages' attached at the bottom of each Fact Sheet as they contain a lot more discussion and photos. And to advertise a new feature of the Forum:- If you go to the bottom of each list of related messages you will find a button that allows you to open all the messages at once.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Feb 14). Comment on Is this a sea slug ?? by Karen Beal. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15798

Factsheet

Glaucus atlanticus

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