Sea hare
Aplysia depilans
- Scientific name
- Aplysia depilans
- Group
- Nudibranchs & Molluscs
- Rarity
- Common
- Where to see it
- Mediterranean
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Not evaluated
Did you know?
The sea hare releases a cloud of purple ink when it feels threatened, relying on chemical defense rather than a quick escape. An algae-grazing herbivore, it gets its nickname from the two appendages on its head that resemble a hare's ears.
What defines this group — Nudibranchs & Molluscs
Sea snails, with or without a shell — nudibranchs traded theirs for warning colours.
- “Nudibranch” means naked gills: the plume on the back is their breathing apparatus.
- Two rhinophores on the head act as a nose, following scent trails.
- Many recycle the venom of their prey — anemones, hydroids — for their own defence.