Sea hare is any marine gastropod of the family Aplysiidae (subclass Opisthobranchia, phylum Mollusca).Sea hare is characterized by a shell reduced to a flat plate, prominent tentacles (resembling rabbit ears), and a smooth or warty body.
- Sea hares eat large seaweeds. Their color is diet-derived from the pigments of the algae.
2. This amazing invertebrate grows up to 16 inches in length!
3. All are simultaneous hermaphrodites with fully functional male and female reproductive organs.
4. As they commonly occur in quite crowded numbers during the mating season, it often leads to chains of three or more sea hares mating together.
5. To protect themselves they release a noxious ink that irritates the would-be predator and stops them in their tracks, in much the same way a skunk protects itself.
More about Sea Hares you can find in the photoguide Nudibranchs of the Coral Triangle by A.Ryanskiy & Y.Ivanov.
[gumroad id=”nudibranchs” type=”embed”]