BY THE WIND SAILOR.

The sailor of the wind has a fluctuating cartilaginous skeleton in the shape of an oblong disc and its dimensions are on average between 2 and 4 cm; sometimes it reaches dimensions of 6-7 cm.The peculiarity is the presence on the disk of a triangular crest similar to a sail that allows it to move on the water through the thrust of the wind. The sail is transparent in color and takes on blue and green reflections in the sunlight.It lives in temperate and warm waters at certain times of the year, in spring and autumn. The aggregates form immense expanses similar to oily spots. During thunderstorms or in conditions of strong winds and rough seas, they settle on the beaches. This is how the wind sailor ends its life cycle. After death they turn white and after 2 or 3 days only the sails remain.The presence of the sailor wind indicates clean waters and are often also used as bait. In recent years, stranding has increased due to discharges into the sea. Another cause has been attributed to the disappearance of the sea turtle which was one of the major predators of the wind sailor.There are those who believe that the sailor wind can negatively affect the marine ecosystem, since this organism is a predator of plankton and especially of fish eggs.In recent years, the greatest development of the wind sailor has been recorded in the western Mediterranean.