Gastropteron rubrum from the Adriatic

January 23, 2003
From: Gennaro Ciavarella

Dear Bill,
This photo was taken at the Tremiti Isles, off the east coast of Italy, in the Adriatic Sea [at 40 mt near a wall at San Nicola island].
Gennaro Ciavarella

gciavarella@tin.it

Dear Gennaro,
Your animal is Gastropteron rubrum. If you look at other photos on this page you will see that it uses its two large parapodia [or wings] for swimming. It certainly looks like some of the swimming Sea Hares or Aplysia but is in fact a very specialised member of the Cephalaspidea or 'Bubble Shells'.

Looking at your photo carefully, it seems there are two animals. One smaller one seems to be sitting inside the parapodial flaps of the larger animal. If so I suspect they are mating.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Jan 23). Comment on Gastropteron rubrum from the Adriatic by Gennaro Ciavarella. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9020

Factsheet

Gastropteron rubrum

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