WHATSTHATFISH
Sea slugs & snails

Mottled Sea Hare

Aplysia brasiliana

Also known as: Sooty Sea Hare

Adult
@Bones1974 · Coral Resort, United States · May 20201 / 2
01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs, during the day hiding in crevices and under rocks, over mixed rock, sand, and seagrass beds, crawling into tide-pools at night, over coral and rocky reefs, rich in algae growth. When predators come too close they will discharge a purple fluid to warn them off.
Western Atlantic - Canada, USA

Opisthobranchia - Nudibranchs - Sea Slugs meaning "naked gills" are molluscs without a hard shell.
All opisthobranchs are hermaphrodites.
These beautiful slugs are usually brilliantly coloured and this in itself can act as a deterrent against predators. Some sea slugs secrete acid from stinging cells in their tentacles while others secrete acid from cells in their mantle.
Nudibranchs are slow moving, can swim or be propelled along either by muscular contraction or by millions of tiny hairs on the bottom of a fleshy 'foot', they have a voracious appetite and feed with a rasp like tongue.
Nudibranch lay their eggs in a ribbon effect on the sand, in different colours depending on species.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
mottled

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs, during the day hiding in crevices and under rocks, over mixed rock, sand, and seagrass beds, crawling into tide-pools at night, over coral and rocky reefs, rich in algae growth.

04

Adult photos 2

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumMollusca
    3. classGastropoda
    4. orderAplysiida
    5. familyAplysiidae
    6. genusAplysia
    7. speciesAplysia brasiliana Rang, 1828

    SourcesWoRMSSea Slug Forum

    06

    More in the family

    Sea Hares (Aplysiidae)