Aplysia californica
Cooper, 1863

Order: ANASPIDEA
Family: Aplysiidae

DISTRIBUTION

Most of the Californian coast and parts of the Gulf of California.

PHOTO

Flat Rock, Palos Verdes, Los Angeles, California, December 1993. PHOTOS: Daniel L. Geiger. See message below.

A very large Sea Hare, reported by MacFarland, 1966 to reach 75 cm in length, but usually about half that. Has become very valuable laboratory animal for research into nervous systems and brain behaviour.

See the General Topics List for more information on Sea Hares.

Reference:
• Cooper, J.G. (1863). On new or rare mollusca inhabiting the coast of California - No. II. Proceedings of the Californian academy of Science 3(1): 56-60.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (March 12) Aplysia californica Cooper, 1863. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/aplycali

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