Sea Hares in Florida

March 22, 2006
From: Holly Sweat

March 17 2006 Boynton Beach, Florida:  Sea Hares are mass beaching
along the intercoastal directly across from the inlet. They are are releasing eggs.

Is this normal for then to beach and reproduce. We put them back in the water some do head to deep water. Yesterday 15 were on the shore today about 35. Noone where we live has seen this happen before.

Locality: Boynton Beach, Florida, Intercoastal Atlantic ocean, 17 March 2006, across from ocean inlet. Length: 5in. to 10 in.

Holly Sweat

shovelove@aol.com

Sweat, H., 2006 (Mar 22) Sea Hares in Florida. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16134

Dear Holly,
It is most probable that your animal is Aplysia morio. Have a look at the Fact Sheet on that species, and the messages attached below to see other records and photos of the species. These mass aggregations are discussed there and also on the Mass Mortality page. It is also possible your species is Aplysia brasiliana, as both occur in Florida.

It is interesting how often regular visitors or residents of a beach have never seen sea hares do this before. Often these events happen in two or three days so are often missed even by quite regular visitors.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Mar 22). Comment on Sea Hares in Florida by Holly Sweat. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16134

Factsheet

Aplysia morio

Related messages

  1. Sea hare - Aplysia morio in Bermuda
    From: Hanna Markham, June 3, 2010
  2. Re: Sea Hare found on Lovers Key beach
    From: Mary and Sang Hwang, May 5, 2010
  3. Brown sea slug in the Bahamas
    From: John Moore, April 15, 2010
  4. Unknown animal - perhaps sea-slug?
    From: Christoph Lehmann, April 5, 2010
  5. Re: Swimming Aplysia in Florida
    From: Maxine Gomez, March 30, 2010
  6. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - NW Florida
    From: Randy Hill, September 5, 2008
  7. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Laura Nugent, July 1, 2008
  8. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Marc Podis, May 2, 2008
  9. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Paul Castronovo, February 22, 2008
  10. Re: Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Michele Mannion, August 27, 2007
  11. Aplysia morio from Isla Cubagua, Venezuela
    From: Sylvia Grüne, July 24, 2007
  12. Re: 'sea-bat' from southwestern France
    From: Jeff Hines, May 2, 2007
  13. cc Is this a variety of sea slug?
    From: Molly Hogan, March 27, 2007
  14. Sea Hare in the surf - Florida
    From: Noah Steed, July 18, 2006
  15. Re: Sea Hare found 1/2 mile off Sth Florida
    From: Daniel Bell, July 10, 2006
  16. Aplysia morio near St. Petersburg, Florida
    From: Maria D'Oleo, June 21, 2006
  17. Sea Hare found 1/2 mile off Sth Florida
    From: J Nicholas Boyd, June 7, 2006
  18. Aplysia morio in Bermuda [2]
    From: Ben Hartley, May 22, 2006
  19. Aplysia morio seen in Bermuda
    From: Thaddeus Murdoch, May 22, 2006
  20. Sea slugs in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
    From: Linda Sandler, April 11, 2006
  21. Re: Sea slug or hare? from Florida
    From: Alicia Miloszewski, April 4, 2006
  22. Sea Hare sighting -Florida
    From: Mike Jackson, March 23, 2006
  23. Lots of Sea Slugs - Florida
    From: Jonathan Lucco, March 23, 2006
  24. Sea slug or hare? from Florida
    From: Brenda Stimely, March 22, 2006
  25. Swimming Sea Hares in Florida
    From: Nick Stone, May 2, 2005
  26. Brown & white Aplysia morio? from Florida
    From: Douglas Ebersole, April 26, 2005
  27. Sea Hares from Florida
    From: Stephanie, March 16, 2005
  28. Re: Aplysia morio from Miami, Florida
    From: Robert Rio, December 24, 2004
  29. Aplysia morio from Miami, Florida
    From: Boriana Slabakova, March 17, 2004
  30. Black Sea Hare from Florida
    From: Gene Browning, March 9, 2004
  31. Swimming Aplysia in Florida
    From: J. Nicholas Boyd, February 25, 2004
  32. Mystery slug found in Trinidad
    From: Danielle, May 13, 2003
  33. Aplysia morio in Florida
    From: Joe Hauth, July 27, 2002
  34. Re: Sea slugs washed up in Florida
    From: Marion Reamer, May 30, 2002
  35. Sea slugs washed up in Florida
    From: Marion Reamer, May 29, 2002
  36. Sea Hare from Mexico
    From: George & Mila, February 9, 2002
  37. Mystery from Mexico
    From: George & Mila, January 17, 2002
  38. Re: Sea Hares from Florida
    From: Bill Mueller , July 13, 2001
  39. Sea Hare - Aplysia morio in Florida
    From: Sandy Iamartino, July 4, 2001
  40. Gulf Coast of Florida find
    From: Bill Mueller, June 29, 2001
  41. Sea hare from Florida
    From: Marjorie Pardun, May 14, 2001
  42. Aplysia morio from Florida
    From: Kay Warren, May 9, 2001
  43. Photos of Florida Sea Hares
    From: Anne DuPont, March 9, 2001
  44. Dying Sea Hares are Aplysia morio
    From: Michael C. Schmale, March 9, 2001
  45. More Sea Hares in Florida
    From: Jackie O'Neal, March 4, 2001
  46. And more Aplysia from Florida
    From: Dawn A., March 4, 2001
  47. Re: Sea Hares in Florida
    From: Krystal , March 3, 2001
  48. Sea Hares in Florida (2)
    From: Krystal, February 27, 2001
  49. Sea Hares in Florida (3)
    From: Talia Williams, February 27, 2001
  50. Florida Keys - Sea Hare Sighting
    From: Betsy, April 27, 2000
  51. Black swimming sea slug So. Florida.
    From: Kathy Dougherty, May 12, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages