Sea Hares - Mass mortality in Florida

June 4, 1999
From: Annie Troutman

While vacationing in Pensacola, Florida this past weekend, I was shocked by the appearance of vast numbers of spotted sea hares or Aplysia dactylomela washed up on the shore. I understand they inhabit turtle-grass beds and sand flats, but I have never in my life seen any washed up on the shore. I gathered as many as I could, and put them in an area closer to the sound in an effort to save them. Anyway... any ideas as to what could have caused this?

Thanks for your time --

Sincerely,

Annie Troutman
Louisville, KY

a.troutman@mindspring.com

Troutman, A., 1999 (Jun 4) Sea Hares - Mass mortality in Florida. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/919

Dear Annie,
It seems to be a good season this year for Sea Hares in Florida. Have a look at the recent messages about the large numbers of swimming Sea Hares, which I have identified as Aplysia brasiliana, from Florida.

Sea Hares are often found aggregated in large numbers, often stranded and dying at low tide. Have a look at Cory Pittman's message and my answer, about the small Sea Hare Stylocheilus longicauda, where I discuss some of the ideas we have about these mass deaths in Sea Hares. Basically it seems that sometimes, when conditions are very favourable, large numbers of juveniles settle out of the plankton and grow rapidly to maturity (a bit like the 'baby boomer' generation after the Second World War). However at the inevitable dying end of the life cycle they all tend to die at the same time. This does not mean to say that there are not outside events which hasten the end. If these large populations coincide with periods of hot weather, relatively warm water and very low tides, death of intertidal animals, especially on broad sandflats, is often inevitable. At low tide exposed animals can be overheated and desiccated, and the returning sea water as the tide turns, rather then providing relief, brings water which has been heated and deoxgenated as it runs in over hot sandflats. In tropical waters I have measured sea water temperature rises of between 5-10 degrees C as the water runs in over heated sand.

In these cases I am afraid there is nothing much we can do. It is an unusual but natural phenomenon. For more general information on Sea Hares have look at the list of 'Sea Hare' topics in the GENERAL TOPICS index.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Jun 4). Comment on Sea Hares - Mass mortality in Florida by Annie Troutman. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/919

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Aplysia dactylomela

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