species: (Glaucilla bennettae)

Observer

tangatawhenua

Quality grade

research

License

CC-BY-NC

Description

I was after an adult to get photos of the underside but couldn't find any, instead there where many juveniles washed up - along with juvenile blue buttons, by-the-wind-sailors and blue bottles so the blue fleet must all spawn in the same places! Here is a series of photos of a juvenile sea swallow about 3-4mm, initially upside down so must have been stranded by the outgoing tide and got flipped. It is interesting to note in the first photo that while the front fan fins are developed, the back fan fins and tail fan fin are not as well defined. Also you can see the bubbles in the body .. hmm .. I wonder if this is what keeps them afloat? Their swimming motion is like breast stoke as you can see from the second photo as well as how the bubbles have re-arranged themselves! My sister-in-law and I gently moved the wet sand with a stick to create a small pool then it turned itself over - photos 3 - 5 :) So now I have got the photos of the underside without having to glove and suit up as well as the acrobatic movements of this amazing little creature :D Here is an adult obs http://naturewatch.org.nz/observations/2670813