A summer spawn of Aplysia punctata

August 15, 2006
From: Mark.Henry

Ranging around the cliffs of Yorkshire as I often do, looking for specimens and observing the wildlife, I notice this year a massive breeding aggregation of Aplysia punctata. They feed mainly on red algae Corallina offinalis.It may be at this time of year carotenoids are an important part of the reproductive energy requirement.At other times of the year other algae are known to be important in the diet such as Ulva species.

Locality: Flamborough Head,Bridlington., 0.5 metres, Yorkshire,Great Britain, The North Sea, 28 july 2006, Rocky intertidal. Length: 4-6inches. Photographer: Mark Henry.

Mark Henry

Mark06h@aol.com

Henry,M.S., 2006 (Aug 15) A summer spawn of Aplysia punctata. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17389

Dear Mark,
Thanks for this record of Aplysia punctata. I presume the rock with all the egg masses around the edge in your upper photo has been turned over to show the eggs?

I would be surprised if the Aplysia were eating the coralline algae. Although they do feed on red algae, in fact the red-purple ink is only produced on a diet of red algae, their radular teeth are not designed to deal with the hard calcareous walls of coralline algae. They have been reported to feed on softer reds, such as Ceramium and Polysiphonia, which are often found attached to coralline algae. In fact in your photo alongside, the red algae alongside the head of the Sea Hare is one of these softer reds. The other algae they often feed on is Ulva, the green sea lettuce, which is also present in your photos.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Aug 15). Comment on A summer spawn of Aplysia punctata by Mark.Henry. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17389

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