Advertisement

Turtle found with large murex hitchhiker on back

By Daniel Uria
A Giant Eastern Murex hitched a ride on a sea turtle's back until the two were discovered by Inwater Research Group in Florida. Researchers removed the murex who weighed about 13% of the sea turtle's body weight. 
 Photo by Inwater Research Group/Facebook
A Giant Eastern Murex hitched a ride on a sea turtle's back until the two were discovered by Inwater Research Group in Florida. Researchers removed the murex who weighed about 13% of the sea turtle's body weight. Photo by Inwater Research Group/Facebook

Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter

JENSEN BEACH , Fla., March 1 (UPI) -- Researchers in Florida rescued a turtle, as well as a large murex that had been riding around on its back.

Inwater Research Group shared photos of the small green sea turtle and a .3kg Giant Eastern Murex that had been acting as a hitchhiker.

Advertisement

"While many sea turtles we encounter have epibiota, or organisms living on their bodies, this was a first," they wrote on Facebook.

Murex often attach themselves to clams and other bivalves, in the deep ocean. This particular Giant Eastern Murex represented about 13% of the weight of its small sea turtle host.

"Imagine a full grown man carrying a twenty pound backpack everywhere he went and that's pretty much this turtle's story," Inwater Research wrote.

The two sea creatures were eventually separated and released back into the ocean.

Holy hitchhiker!Last week, IRG biologists rescued this little green turtle at our St. Lucie Project. Right away, they...

Advertisement

Posted by Inwater Research Group on Monday, February 29, 2016

Latest Headlines