Line of slugs and aggregations

November 5, 2007
From: Kim Friedman

Dear Bill
On the west coast of New Caledonia in 1m of water I saw a line of approx 6 cm long slugs crawling along the sand and aggregating, in there 1000's, on coral bommies.

Locality: Poe Beach , 1m, New Caledonia, Pacific, 21 October 2007, clean sand. Length: 6cm. Photographer: none - sorry.

They looked like aplysids, and were light greenish brown with a rough skin.
Any help on an ID please?

Thanks
Kim

kimf@spc.int

Friedman, K., 2007 (Nov 5) Line of slugs and aggregations. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21008

Dear Kim,

The animals are almost certainly the little sea hare Stylocheilus striatus. If you go to the species Fact Sheet you will find quite a few messages recording these swarming events [see #15378 for example] in many parts of the world. Also have a look at the Mass Mortality Fact Sheet for more discussion on this phenomenon in Stylocheilus and other Sea Hares.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (Nov 5). Comment on Line of slugs and aggregations by Kim Friedman. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21008

Factsheet

Stylocheilus striatus

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