Spotted Seahare

Aplysia dactylomela

Uncommon: A large, internal shelled mollusk related to the nudibranch and sea slug.  I found this specimen along a rocky, algae thick shoreline. Colors can vary from light gray to green, to dark brown. The mantel spots vary from numerous to a few from small to large, but always with dark edges. they can reach 6 inches in length.  Read more about this interesting creature and it's use as a study on human brain neurology. http://www.seaslugforum.net/showall/seahares , http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/resources.asp?show=20 and how ocean acidification can affect these creatures and our coral reefs. http://www.stanford.edu/group/journal/cgi-bin/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Yanovsky_NatSci_2012.pdf  (external links)