Aplysia extraordinaria from nthn New Zealand

March 12, 2007
From: Rendt Gorter


Is this a specimen of Aplysia extraordinaria?

I discovered this specimen in abundance (a short search in 50 sq metre area revealed dozens) here on Great Barrier Island, 80 n. miles NE of Auckland, New Zealand.

The sea slug, if indeed it is a Sea Hare, would swim by waving the mantle and releasing purple ink when disturbed

Locality: Kaitoke Stream, a shallow estuary, 50 m from shore, on shallow sand. Great Barrier Island, 0.5 m, New Zealand, Pacific Ocean, 9 March 2007, Estuary, sand bottom. Length: 10-15 cm. Photographer: Rendt Gorter.

Rendt Gorter

rendt@gorter.gen.nz

Gorter, R., 2007 (Mar 12) Aplysia extraordinaria from nthn New Zealand. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19642

Dear Rendt,
Yes this is A. extraordinaria. It is considered to be quite a rare visitor to nthn New Zealand, but we really don't have enough information. Another very large swimming species, which I have tentatively identified as Aplysia sagamiana [see message #14048], may be a colour form of A. extraordinaria but the brown rings on the parapodia seem quite distinctive.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Mar 12). Comment on Aplysia extraordinaria from nthn New Zealand by Rendt Gorter. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19642

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Aplysia extraordinaria

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