Swimming and orientation inAplysia Brasiliana(Mollusca: Gastropoda)

Abstract

A description of the swimming behavior of Aplysia brasiliana is provided, and its performance in currents and orientational capabilities evaluated. Aplysia are able to swim for considerable duration, to maintain a fairly straight path, and to make progress against natural currents. Hence this behavior seems to be a functional means of local movement. There is no present evidence that swimming is an escape response. A. brasiliana are able to modify swimming effort depending on their direction of travel relative to the current, so as to achieve a more constant ground speed. Releases over a clear sand bottom in shallow water indicate that swimming is an oriented movement, on an individual and group basis.