Aplysia dactylomela? from South Africa

October 27, 2008
From: Daleen Loest

We have encountered this seaslug in a rockpool at under mentioned location.We have been vacationing here for the previous 20 years and this is the first time that we've seen them.The photo was taken when one was stranded on a rocky ledge as the tide receded.We gently placed it in the water whereupon it spurted out the bright pink ink.There were about 5 of them in these rockpools at any given time, accompanied by 3 other slugs whom have the same form and size, but was dappled with shades of brown.We've observed them continously for about 5 days whereafter we haven't seen them again.

Locality: East London,30 km south at Kidd's Beach, 10 cm to 50 cm, South Africa, Easter Cape Coast, Indian Ocean, 30 December 2005, rockpools, sandy bottom. Length: 10 cm. Photographer: Daleen Loest.

Daleen Loest

dloest@tiscali.co.za

Loest, D., 2008 (Oct 27) Aplysia dactylomela? from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20536

Dear Daleen,

If you look carefully at the enlarged photo alongside I hope you can see some very small black rings with a white centre in the dark grey patches. That would normally indicate that this is a color form of Aplysia oculifera which has tiny rings like this. However the parapodial flaps look thick, leathery, and are not very folded, which is quite unlike that species. I suspect this is an extreme colour form of Aplysia dactylomela. Both species occur in southern Africa and have a long history of being mixed up in South African publications, so I could just be joining the confusion, but in extreme colour forms of these two species I think the general body shape is a better indicator of identity than the size of the black rings.

If you want to know more about these animals, you will find a whole list of relevant pages, including one on their spectacular ink, under 'Sea Hares ' in the General Topics List.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Oct 27). Comment on Aplysia dactylomela? from South Africa by Daleen Loest. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20536

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Aplysia dactylomela

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