Dying Sea Hares are Aplysia morio

March 9, 2001
From: Michael C. Schmale

Dear Bill,
Anne DuPont has sent me copies of her Aplysia photos from Pompano Beach, Florida. Based on these photos, I believe this is the relatively uncommon Black Sea Hare, Aplysia morio. I checked on the Sea Slug Forum and saw that this species was not listed. We do not see it very often here in Miami but it is an interesting one as it can get very large (over one foot long). It is characterized by black or very dark brown skin with little or no marking. Also, according to Voss's reference on sea shore life, the parapodia (wings) are relatively large. Betsy's photos [April 27, 2000], also appear to be of A. morio as well.

In case you were not aware, we have a large hatchery for Aplysia here at the University of Miami marine lab. We culture Aplysia californica throughout the life cycle and provide animals of all ages and sizes to neuroscience researchers around the world these animals are very useful due to their simple nervous system and large nerve cells). On average, we ship out about 15,000 animals per year with support from the National Institutes of Health.

Another Aplysia fun fact is that one of the recipients of the Nobel prize in Physiology and Medicine this year was given this award based on his research on memory and learning using the Aplysia (A. californica). So, you could say that Aplysia won this year's Nobel prize.

All the best,
Mike Schmale

Michael C. Schmale, PhD
Associate Professor
Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
University of Miami
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy.
Miami, FL 33149

mschmale@rsmas.miami.edu

Schmale, M.C., 2001 (Mar 9) Dying Sea Hares are Aplysia morio. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3953

Dear Michael,
Thanks for sorting out this identification problem - and thanks Anne for finding some local knowledge which is very welcome. I have moved Annne and Betsy's photos to a new Aplysia morio page. I guess that most of the the recent mass mortality reports from Florida probably involve Bursatella, and A. morio, rather than A. brasiliana, so I'll move them over as well.

Erik Kandel's Nobel Prize and your amazing Aplysia breeding facility are indeed known to Forum visitors.

Thanks again for your help,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Mar 9). Comment on Dying Sea Hares are Aplysia morio by Michael C. Schmale. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/3953

Factsheet

Aplysia morio

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