Sea Hares washed up in Devon, UK

April 9, 2008
From: Rob Benzies

Found last week 2 red brown 7 inch long eliptical 4 inch wide jelly masses, on Slapton beach, Devon at low tide. Their back seemed to open up to reveal a similar smaller mass but pointing the other way and very tapered. The main mass was oozing in movement and had 2 snail like anterior antennae.

Surprisingly we found more days later in a state of decomposition - oozing a staining purple dye. I photographed the latter.

Locality: Slapton Beach, Devon, shoreline, England, Atlantic, 9 Oct 07, long shingle beach. Length: 7 in. Photographer: Rob Benzies.

Rob Benzies

robbenzies@aol.com

Benzies, R., 2008 (Apr 9) Sea Hares washed up in Devon, UK. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20973

Dear Rob,
 From your description and the photos your sad jelly masses were washed up Sea Hares. If you go to the Fact Sheet you will find quite a bit of background information. Have a look at the attached meesages for further information and links. I am pretty sure the species you found was Aplysia fasciata which can use the large flaps [ = parapodia] shown in your upper photo for swimming. The purple ink is a very characteristic feature of most sea hares. In some parts of the world sea hares can wash up in incredibly large numbers [see Mass Mortality Fact Sheet].

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Apr 9). Comment on Sea Hares washed up in Devon, UK by Rob Benzies. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20973

Factsheet

Aplysia fasciata

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