Aplysia brasiliana and burrowing

March 13, 2001
From: Melanie

The other day, March 3rd, I was out in a shallow intertidal sand and rock-bottom area of Sarasota Bay, FL. A friend of mine was walking along the intertidal when she noticed purple ink welling up from the sand. We identified it as Aplysia brasiliana, however I had never seen one burrowed quite like this. It had grasped onto some small sized rocks and the parapodia were drawn around its body with only the siphon sticking out of the sediment. Do you know of any other references/literature involving such burrowing behavior? We have had some pretty rough weather the last couple of days with high winds and the bay has become completely churned up.

Cheers,
Melanie

pjtmcape@aol.com

Melanie , 2001 (Mar 13) Aplysia brasiliana and burrowing. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3946

Dear Melanie,
I suspect the stormy weather you mention is the most probable reason for this 'burrowing'. Rather than burrowing, this sea hare was probably being slowly buried as the rough seas moved the bottom sediments (sand, mud) around. I don't know of any observations of species of Sea Hares burrowing, but perhaps someone else does.

The nearest burrowing relative I can think of is the shelled Akera.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Mar 13). Comment on Aplysia brasiliana and burrowing by Melanie . [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3946

Factsheet

Aplysia brasiliana

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