Pale Snakish Creature at Dry Tortugas, FL

[snorkelnow]

Hello Experts,

We just finished a snorkel vacation in southern Florida which included a day trip out to Dry Tortugas National Park. I ran into this "snakish thing" out in the sand toward the outer edge of the swimming area. It was about 2pm and about 8 feet of water. The temp was low 80's but the water temp was mid 60s.

I floated above it for awhile and it seemed to be moving by rippling muscles along each of its sides. The only picture I got was from the rear (had to head back to the boat) but as I swam down to take a look it appeared that the other end had a face.

I've uploaded my picture so you can take a look. Any idea what this is? It doesn't look animate in the picture but I'd swear it was an animal of some sort. Can't find anything in the books that remotely looks like it.

Thanks so much!
Amy

 

[Cave Diver]

I've uploaded my picture so you can take a look.

Picture in photo gallery:

ScubaBoard Gallery - Tubular creature seen at Dry Tortugas

 

[snorkelnow]

I forgot to add that it was about a foot long and an inch in diameter. Not a little thing.

Thanks,
Amy

 

[smellzlikefish]

I know what it is. Its ugly, that's what. Maybe a type of cucumber?

 

[Walter]

Do you have a photo of it that's in focus?

 

[snorkelnow]

Hi Walter,

I don't have any more pictures of it, unfortunately. This version of the pic has been sharpened a bit and you can see some features on the head. Unfortunately, it was down-sampled when I put it on flickr. I'll see what I can do to blow up the image.

I am wondering if it is a slug of some type (there are *so* many kinds of slugs). As I recall from swimming down to it there were some sort of antennae and it did not look much like an eel face but the overall shape kind of makes me think eel snake more than slug. This mystery might never be solved.

Thanks,
Amy


day_03_dry_tortugas_snakish_thing by huskyaddict, on Flickr

 

[sobe]

Looks like a sheded python's skin (they are down in FL now) - but of course thats not it.
I work for NOAA Fisheries, Im just a contracted computer geek, But I wll ask my co-workers..

 

[koozemani]

OMG get out of the pool. it's a baby ruth

 

[smellzlikefish]

I don't know if you have representatives of Opheodesoma spp. in Florida, but it certainly reminds me of one.

 

[snorkelnow]

Hi All,

Here is a cropped/sharpened image and a crop of the head with some hue/sat shift. The head image seems to be picking up to raised eyes/antennae and some shaping around what would be the mouth area. Does this help with the debate?

Thanks,
Amy