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Description:
Sooty sea hares are perhaps the most commonly encountered sea hare in east
central Florida. They are robust, soft-bodied mollusks that reach 8 -
10 inches in length. Body color is variable, but typically ranges from
red-brown or red-purple to lighter shades of brown. Mottled white to
yellowish splotches and spots cover the body surface. A pair of
lateral, wing-like parapodia is used for swimming. Tentacle-like
rhinophores, located on top of head, originate directly behind the eyes.
Oral tentacles flare laterally at the terminal mouth. A flattened
internal shell, partially embedded in the mantle, is visible along the
dorsal surface over the visceral mass. Eye is small and dark,
with the area around the eye generally white.
Habitat:
Sooty sea hares are commonly found in seagrass meadows, as well as on sandy
or muddy substrates. They also occur near rock jetties, pilings and
mangrove creeks, where they feed on algae and bacterial films.
Range:
The range of the sooty sea hare in the western Atlantic extends from New
Jersey south to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and much of the
Caribbean. In the eastern Atlantic, it is common along the west
African Coast, especially around Ghana.
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The sooty sea hare, Aplysia brasiliana
swimming in a seagrass bed near Sebastian Inlet, Florida. Photo
courtesy J. Dineen, Smithsonian Marine Station. |
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Close-up of the head of the sooty sea
hare. Note the antennae-like rhinophores, clear eye area at the base
of the rhinophores, and the prominent oral tentacles. Photo courtesy
J. Dineen, Smithsonian Marine Station. |
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Sea hares are hermaphrodites that can act as both males and
females. During mating, individuals often create long chains, with
each individual donating sperm to the animal in front of it, while
receiving sperm from the individual behind it.
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