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

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. Brown sea slug in the Bahamas
    From: John Moore, April 15, 2010
  4. Unknown animal - perhaps sea-slug?
    From: Christoph Lehmann, April 5, 2010
  5. Re: Swimming Aplysia in Florida
    From: Maxine Gomez, March 30, 2010
  6. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - NW Florida
    From: Randy Hill, September 5, 2008
  7. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Laura Nugent, July 1, 2008
  8. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Marc Podis, May 2, 2008
  9. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Paul Castronovo, February 22, 2008
  10. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Michele Mannion, August 27, 2007
  11. Aplysia morio from Isla Cubagua, Venezuela
    From: Sylvia Grüne, July 24, 2007
  12. Re: 'sea-bat' from southwestern France
    From: Jeff Hines, May 2, 2007
  13. cc Is this a variety of sea slug?
    From: Molly Hogan, March 27, 2007
  14. Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Noah Steed, July 18, 2006
  15. Re: Sea Hare found 1/2 mile off Sth Florida
    From: Daniel Bell, July 10, 2006
  16. Aplysia morio near St. Petersburg, Florida
    From: Maria D'Oleo, June 21, 2006
  17. Sea Hare found 1/2 mile off Sth Florida
    From: J Nicholas Boyd, June 7, 2006
  18. Aplysia morio in Bermuda [2]
    From: Ben Hartley, May 22, 2006
  19. Aplysia morio seen in Bermuda
    From: Thaddeus Murdoch, May 22, 2006
  20. Sea slugs in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
    From: Linda Sandler, April 11, 2006
  21. Re: Sea slug or hare? from Florida
    From: Alicia Miloszewski, April 4, 2006
  22. Sea Hare sighting -Florida
    From: Mike Jackson, March 23, 2006
  23. Lots of Sea Slugs - Florida
    From: Jonathan Lucco, March 23, 2006
  24. Sea slug or hare? from Florida
    From: Brenda Stimely, March 22, 2006
  25. Sea Hares in Florida
    From: Holly Sweat, March 22, 2006
  26. Swimming Sea Hares in Florida
    From: Nick Stone, May 2, 2005
  27. Brown & white Aplysia morio? from Florida
    From: Douglas Ebersole, April 26, 2005
  28. Sea Hares from Florida
    From: Stephanie, March 16, 2005
  29. Re: Aplysia morio from Miami, Florida
    From: Robert Rio, December 24, 2004
  30. Aplysia morio from Miami, Florida
    From: Boriana Slabakova, March 17, 2004
  31. Black Sea Hare from Florida
    From: Gene Browning, March 9, 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