Aplysia fasciata: 2 colour forms from Senegal

June 27, 2003
From: Marina Poddubetskaia


Dear Bill,
Aplysia fasciata is very common in Madeleine Isles, near Dakar. There are 2 colour forms of this species here: a dark one and a pale one.

In the second photo you can see these colour forms mating. When I found them I didn't know they were mating, but when I took the pale animal aside I saw I disturbed them.

In the third photo there is an animal burrowed under the sand. I didn't know this behaviour in Aplysia. Why do they do it? When I took this photo there was heavy surge.

Photos 1 and 2 :
Date: June 07, 2003
Location: Dakar, Senegal, Eastern Atlantic
Site: Fayis (Iles Madeleine)
Depth: 18-19m
Size:
(1) 14-15cm
(2) 15-16cm

Photo 3:
Date: May 31, 2003
Location: Dakar, Senegal, Eastern Atlantic
Site: Iles Madeleine
Depth: 11m
Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia - Nembro website

Best wishes,
Marina.

nembro@nembro.info

Poddubetskaia, M., 2003 (Jun 27) Aplysia fasciata: 2 colour forms from Senegal. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10213

Thanks Marina,
Your observations certainly demonstrate that these two quite distinct colour forms are one species. There are some other observations on Sea Hares burrowing on the Forum. It seems to be a protective behaviour, but I don't think it has been much researched.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Jun 27). Comment on Aplysia fasciata: 2 colour forms from Senegal by Marina Poddubetskaia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10213

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Aplysia fasciata

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