Swimming slug from France

August 26, 2005
From: Robyn Mason-Holt

On Friday 19th August during our holiday in the south west of France (near La Rochelle) at low tide on a sandy beach, that shelved steeply to reveal a small 4 x 10 m rock pool area, we found a large black/red blob.

Locality:  La Roche Plage (beach), Nr Jard sur mer, Vendee, France. Atlantic ocean. Length: 300 mm. 19 August 2005. Intertidal shallow rock pools.

Thinking it was an anenome we continued searching the rock pools and found another blob, just out of the water looking very dry and contorting itself. I knocked it gently in to the water to find it unwrapped itself and there swimming magestically in the pool was what i can only describe as a large 30cm long slug with wings. We saw another four within a 4 meter sq area. Unfortunately we had no camera with us so identifying them is proving difficult.Was it a Gastropteron and if so what species?
Thanking you in anticipation
Robyn.

simon@holts0.freeserve.co.uk

Mason-Holt, R.G., 2005 (Aug 26) Swimming slug from France. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14631

Dear Robyn,
From its size it is unlikely to be a Gastropteron. Although the European Gastropteron rubrum is a great swimmer, it is only about one tenth of the size you describe. I guess your animals were a species of Sea Hare. The most likely species would be Aplysia fasciata which is a well-known swimmer, and can have red edging to its 'wings' [parapodia], foot and head tentacles. If you look at some of the messages concerning that species on the Forum you will see photos of it swimming.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Aug 26). Comment on Swimming slug from France by Robyn Mason-Holt. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/14631

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