Dolabrifera brazieri at Bateau Bay, New South Wales

August 22, 2008
From: Deb Gorgievski


Could you please ID these for me?

These creatures were found off the edge of the Bateau Bay Rock Platform on the Central Coast of New South Wales Australia on the 22nd of March 2007. They were in 0.2m deep water on algal covered rocks just below the mean low tide mark, they appeared to be grazing. No-one touched them, so I did not see any ink. They do however appear to have the rhinophores and the oral tentacles.

Locality: Bateau Bay Rock Platform, 0.2 m, NSW, Australia, Tasman Sea, 22 March 2007, algal covered rocks. Length: 130 mm. Photographer: D.Gorgievski.

Their parapodia seems to tightly bound to their body compared to photos of Aplysia dactylomela which share a similar patterning.

Could it be a pulmonate? What do you think of the lumps on the side of the parapodia?

Thanking you

Deb

novatechtonix@yahoo.com.au

Gorgievski, D., 2008 (Aug 22) Dolabrifera brazieri at Bateau Bay, New South Wales. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21824

Dear Deb,

This is Dolabrifera brazieri. It is indeed a Sea Hare but unlike species of Aplysia, the parapodia are much reduced. In many ways they can be considered the 'limpets' of the Sea Hare family, usually found in intertidal, or shallow water, and like limpets their streamlining seems designed to protect them from being washed off by the forces of breaking waves.

Have a look at the species Fact Sheet which will guide you to general information on Sea Hares.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Aug 22). Comment on Dolabrifera brazieri at Bateau Bay, New South Wales by Deb Gorgievski. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21824

Factsheet

Dolabrifera brazieri

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