Florida Sea Slugs

May 3, 2000
From: Sharon

I've seen what people tell me are Sea Slugs around my home in Sarasota, Florida.

They're brown and kinda look like flapping banana peels swimming along. I found one washed up on a sandbar. It was still a little alive so I tried to push it back into the water and it squirted purple ink at me. I didn't even know they did that.

Do you happen to know what species the one I keep seeing is? I'd really like to know.

Sharon

sas21@duke.edu

Sharon, 2000 (May 3) Florida Sea Slugs. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2350

Dear Sharon,
From the messages and photos the Forum has already received from Florida, I can tell you what your 'flapping brown banana peels' are, even from far away in Australia. If you look at the pictures on this page, above your message, and the earlier messages below yours, you will find that Florida seems to be alive with these swimming sea slugs which are a species of Sea Hare.

Your species is almost certainly Aplysia brasiliana. Have a look at the page on Sea Hares which will give you some general information on Sea Hares, and a list of other pages to look at. If you are new to the Forum be sure to check the messages on each page because they also contain a lot of information.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (May 3). Comment on Florida Sea Slugs by Sharon. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2350

Factsheet

Aplysia brasiliana

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