Phyllaplysia from Botany Bay, eastern Australia

December 5, 2005
From: Donald Miles


I am hoping that someone will be able to identify this little green slug that we found. It was photographed in a plastic container, so I have included one shot of its underside and another of its head.

Locality: Silver Beach, Bonna Point , Kurnell, Botany Bay, NSW, Australia.
Depth: 1 - 2 metres. Length: 15 - 20 mm. 30 November 2005. Intertidal sea grass beds. Photographer: Donald Miles

Thanks,
Don Miles
AUSECO

auseco@optusnet.com.au

Miles, D.W., 2005 (Dec 5) Phyllaplysia from Botany Bay, eastern Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15399

Dear Don,
This is a small Sea Hare of the genus Phyllaplysia, a name meaning 'leaf aplysia', which is very appropriate for these small animals which are very camouflaged on the sea grasses and other plants they live on. Unfortunately the taxonomy of this group, is in a mess. Colour is one of the few characters we have to use, but we have very few samples of the live animals worldwide, and they seem to be quite variable in colour within a single population. I am accumulating the Indo-West Pacific records we have on a Phyllaplysia spp page.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2005 (Dec 5). Comment on Phyllaplysia from Botany Bay, eastern Australia by Donald Miles. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15399

Factsheet

Phyllaplysia spp.

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