Brown sea slug in the Bahamas

April 15, 2010
From: John Moore

I live in Freeport, Grand Bahama and have a house adjacent to a local canal.
My wife & I fish in the canal and 'observe' the water at night with a torch to see what is moving at night.

Last night we observed what I think was a sea slug, maybe hexibranchus, 'swimming' in the canal. It came right to the edge of the canal, I think attracted by the light of the torch.

It was choclate brown in colour, about 25 - 30 cm long with an elongated neck. I know nothing about these creatures, but the nearest I can see in your website is the Hexabranchus sanguineus - Spanish Dancer, but it did not have the bright red colouration or mottled colours and the 'wings' seemed much more regularly shaped than the pictures in the web site. We were very close, as the 'creature' swam right up to the canal side and it was just after high tide. My wife ran for a camera, but we were not quick enough and it swam off. I notices that whilst it was still breaking surface the eyes reflectre the torch light very brightly even from a long way out.

We will watch out for it and make sure we have camera to hand, but can you suggest what species it might be?

Locality: canal, surface, Freeport, Grand Bahama, Caribbean , 13 April 2010, clean concrete sided canal. tidal. Length: 25 - 30 cm

John Moore

johnandsylviamoore@hotmail.com

Moore, L. J. , 2010 (Apr 15) Brown sea slug in the Bahamas. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/23490

Dear John,

Although there is a species of Hexabranchus in the Caribbean - H. morsomus -, I am pretty usre you are describing a species of Sea Hare, in particular Aplysia morio. If you look at some of the earlier messages on the Forum about that species you will see quite a discussion about its swimming behaviour. Another possibility is Aplysia brasiliana which also occurs in your waters.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2010 (Apr 15). Comment on Brown sea slug in the Bahamas by John Moore. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/23490

Factsheet

Aplysia morio

Related messages

  1. Sea hare - Aplysia morio in Bermuda
    From: Hanna Markham, June 3, 2010
  2. Re: Sea Hare found on Lovers Key beach
    From: Mary and Sang Hwang, May 5, 2010
  3. Unknown animal - perhaps sea-slug?
    From: Christoph Lehmann, April 5, 2010
  4. Re: Swimming Aplysia in Florida
    From: Maxine Gomez, March 30, 2010
  5. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - NW Florida
    From: Randy Hill, September 5, 2008
  6. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Laura Nugent, July 1, 2008
  7. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Marc Podis, May 2, 2008
  8. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Paul Castronovo, February 22, 2008
  9. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Michele Mannion, August 27, 2007
  10. Aplysia morio from Isla Cubagua, Venezuela
    From: Sylvia Grüne, July 24, 2007
  11. Re: 'sea-bat' from southwestern France
    From: Jeff Hines, May 2, 2007
  12. cc Is this a variety of sea slug?
    From: Molly Hogan, March 27, 2007
  13. Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Noah Steed, July 18, 2006
  14. Re: Sea Hare found 1/2 mile off Sth Florida
    From: Daniel Bell, July 10, 2006
  15. Aplysia morio near St. Petersburg, Florida
    From: Maria D'Oleo, June 21, 2006
  16. Sea Hare found 1/2 mile off Sth Florida
    From: J Nicholas Boyd, June 7, 2006
  17. Aplysia morio in Bermuda [2]
    From: Ben Hartley, May 22, 2006
  18. Aplysia morio seen in Bermuda
    From: Thaddeus Murdoch, May 22, 2006
  19. Sea slugs in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
    From: Linda Sandler, April 11, 2006
  20. Re: Sea slug or hare? from Florida
    From: Alicia Miloszewski, April 4, 2006
  21. Sea Hare sighting -Florida
    From: Mike Jackson, March 23, 2006
  22. Lots of Sea Slugs - Florida
    From: Jonathan Lucco, March 23, 2006
  23. Sea slug or hare? from Florida
    From: Brenda Stimely, March 22, 2006
  24. Sea Hares in Florida
    From: Holly Sweat, March 22, 2006
  25. Swimming Sea Hares in Florida
    From: Nick Stone, May 2, 2005
  26. Brown & white Aplysia morio? from Florida
    From: Douglas Ebersole, April 26, 2005
  27. Sea Hares from Florida
    From: Stephanie, March 16, 2005
  28. Re: Aplysia morio from Miami, Florida
    From: Robert Rio, December 24, 2004
  29. Aplysia morio from Miami, Florida
    From: Boriana Slabakova, March 17, 2004
  30. Black Sea Hare from Florida
    From: Gene Browning, March 9, 2004
  31. Swimming Aplysia in Florida
    From: J. Nicholas Boyd, February 25, 2004
  32. Mystery slug found in Trinidad
    From: Danielle, May 13, 2003
  33. Aplysia morio in Florida
    From: Joe Hauth, July 27, 2002
  34. Re: Sea slugs washed up in Florida
    From: Marion Reamer, May 30, 2002
  35. Sea slugs washed up in Florida
    From: Marion Reamer, May 29, 2002
  36. Sea Hare from Mexico
    From: George & Mila, February 9, 2002
  37. Mystery from Mexico
    From: George & Mila, January 17, 2002
  38. Re: Sea Hares from Florida
    From: Bill Mueller , July 13, 2001
  39. Sea Hare - Aplysia morio in Florida
    From: Sandy Iamartino, July 4, 2001
  40. Gulf Coast of Florida find
    From: Bill Mueller, June 29, 2001
  41. Sea hare from Florida
    From: Marjorie Pardun, May 14, 2001
  42. Aplysia morio from Florida
    From: Kay Warren, May 9, 2001
  43. Photos of Florida Sea Hares
    From: Anne DuPont, March 9, 2001
  44. Dying Sea Hares are Aplysia morio
    From: Michael C. Schmale, March 9, 2001
  45. More Sea Hares in Florida
    From: Jackie O'Neal, March 4, 2001
  46. And more Aplysia from Florida
    From: Dawn A., March 4, 2001
  47. Re: Sea Hares in Florida
    From: Krystal , March 3, 2001
  48. Sea Hares in Florida (2)
    From: Krystal, February 27, 2001
  49. Sea Hares in Florida (3)
    From: Talia Williams, February 27, 2001
  50. Florida Keys - Sea Hare Sighting
    From: Betsy, April 27, 2000
  51. Black swimming sea slug So. Florida.
    From: Kathy Dougherty, May 12, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages