Dominica Unknown "Slug"?

I won't assume this is a nudibranch.....

At 20 feet, sand, scattered turtle grass, this thing at first didn't seem alive. It just sort of rolled and drifted with the current. But after watching awhile it would bend and stretch but still didn't seem to have any real purpose in mind. One obvious trait was a sensitivity to light. When we shined a flashlight on it, it would quickly (relative term) react.

Thanks, Bud

That's the detached proboscis of a spoon worm, phylum Echiura. Normally the worm stays hidden in it's burrow or rock crevice while the proboscis is extended to bring food particles back to the mouth. It easily breaks off & continues to move to distract predators while the worm retreats further back in it's home. Another one will soon be regrown.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/3899554269/

Wow! Thanks Leslie, I wouldn't have ever found that one!!

Leslie, after following your link, I believe you solved an additional mystery for me.

This was found the next day within 40-50 yards of where the proboscis was found:

I assume this is the "rest of the story"...

Bud

Nope, that's an sipunculan worm, phylum Sipuncula. That particular pattern of skin reticulation is typical of the genus Sipunculus. In echiuroids the proboscis is attached to the outside of the body & cannot be withdrawn. Sipuncs have what's called an introvert - the feeding structure is held within the body until the animal wants to feed and then it is extended outwards. There's a ring of tentacles at the end of the introvert which surrounds the mouth & which the animal uses to pick up particles. This picture shows an animal with the introvert sucked in & an inset with the introvert out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/artour_a/331307537/sizes/l/

Wow! Have you been told lately how valuable you are to this forum???

Thanks for clearing it up.

That's why they pay me the big bucks! Oh wait, they don't.....