Aplysiida

Common Names

Members of the order Aplysiida are commonly known as sea hares, due to their resemblance to the head and ears of a hare. Some species are also referred to as black sea hares or white sea hares based on their coloration.

Characteristics

Aplysiida have a number of distinctive characteristics, including:

• A large, flattened body, often with a mantle that extends over the head
• A pair of large, prominent rhinophores, which are sensory organs used for detecting food and predators
• A pair of large, lateral parapodia, which are fleshy appendages that extend from the sides of the body
• A single, centrally located gill, which is located under the mantle
• A radula, which is a ribbon-like structure in the mouth with rows of teeth used for scraping algae
• An ink gland, which is used to release a cloud of ink to confuse predators

Environments

Aplysiida are found in a variety of marine environments, including:

• Tropical and temperate oceans worldwide
• Rocky shores
• Seagrass beds
• Coral reefs

References

For more information on Aplysiida, please refer to the following resources:

• World Register of Marine Species
• Animal Diversity Web
• PubMed