Medusa was one of seven Argonauta-class submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the early 1930s.

[2] For surface running, the boats were powered by two 750-brake-horsepower (559 kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft.

They were also armed with a single 102-millimeter (4 in) deck gun forward of the conning tower for combat on the surface.

[2] Medusa was laid down by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico at their Monfalcone shipyard in 1929–1930, launched on 10 December 1931 and completed the following year.

[2] Medusa was torpedoed and sunk on 30 January 1942 in the Adriatic near Promontore, Istria by the submarine HMS Thorn.