Aplysia depilans
Gmelin, 1791

Order: ANASPIDEA
Superfamily: APLYSIOIDEA
Family: Aplysiidae

DISTRIBUTION

SW British Isles, Atlantic coast of France to Mediterranean, West Africa.

PHOTO

Banyuls sur Mer, Mediterranean coast of France, March 1991, on rock in upper sublittoral. Lower photo - closeup of parapodial lobe showing reticulate veining and pinkish parapodial margin. PHOTO: Daniel Geiger

Grows to about 30cm. Brown to greenish-brown with blotches of white, yellow or grey, often with blackish veining (see lower photo). The parapodial lobes are joined rather high posteriorly and the foot often forms a temporary sucker. Mediterranean animals are reported to swim. Produces both white and purple secretions when disturbed.

Reference:
• Thompson, T.E. & Brown, G.H. (1984) Biology of Opisthobranch Molluscs, Vol 2. Ray Society: London.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (September 29) Aplysia depilans Gmelin, 1791. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/aplydepi

Related messages

  1. Re: Aplysia fasciata and A. punctata from Antibes
    From: Dominique Horst, November 28, 2007
  2. Massive death of Aplysia depilans in Italy
    From: Matteo Tassi, June 24, 2005
  3. Aplysia punctata? from Sicily
    From: Sara, October 2, 2003
  4. Aplysia depilans (?) from Senegal
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia, September 25, 2003
  5. Aplysia depilans from Tunisia
    From: J. Ben Souissi and A. Eters, July 28, 2003
  6. Aplysia depilans from Portugal
    From: João Pedro Silva, June 28, 2002
  7. Aplysia depilans from Portugal
    From: João Tojal Silva, April 23, 2002
  8. Aplysia from Portugal
    From: João Pedro Silva, November 28, 2001
  9. Re: Aplysia depilans
    From: Andy Horton, October 3, 1999
  10. Aplysia depilans in Guernsey
    From: Andy Horton, October 1, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages