Need help identifying this alien creature!

March 13, 2006
From: Juliet Jimenez

This odd sea animal was spotted at South Padre Island in the Gulf of Mexico last weekend. It was swimming around a boat dock, mainly on the surface, but sometimes venturing deeper into the water. It was very large, over a foot long, and gracefully flapping it's "wings" as it moved slowly about. Friends who've lived in the area for years have never seen anything like it before, and suggested waiting to see if the mothership would come back for it! It looks like some sort of sea slug to me. Please help...everyone is anxious to find out what the heck this thing is.

Locality: South Padre Island, Texas, Surface, Texas, USA, Gulf of Mexico, 04 March 2006, Boat dock, tidal waters on gulf. Length: 12 to 18 inches. Photographer: Gilbert Jimenez.

Thanks,
Juliet Jimenez

juliet1426@sbcglobal.net

Jimenez, J., 2006 (Mar 13) Need help identifying this alien creature!. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16074

Dear Juliet,
This is a Sea Hare, and almost certainly Aplysia brasiliana, the common brown swimming sea hare in your part of the world. If you look at the other messages attached below your message, you will see you are not the first peopel to think it is a very weird animal when swimming. If you are interested in background information on Sea Hares go to the General Topics index.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Mar 13). Comment on Need help identifying this alien creature! by Juliet Jimenez. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16074

Factsheet

Aplysia brasiliana

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