Aplysia punctata
Cuvier, 1803

Order: ANASPIDEA
Superfamily: APLYSIOIDEA
Family: Aplysiidae

DISTRIBUTION

Northeast Atlantic from Greenland to Mediterranean.

PHOTO

UPPER: Banyuls sur Mer, Mediterrean coast of France, February 1991, on Codium tomentosum.

Grows up to 20cm. Body colour variable, ranging from olive-green, brown, red, purplish-black, with blotches of grey, white, often with black or dark-brown spots and veining. The body is long and narrow and the parapodia join rather high posteriorly. produce both purple and white secretions when disturbed.

See Erwin Koehler's photos of this species mating.

Reference:
• Thompson, T.E. (1976) Biology of Opisthobranch Molluscs, Vol 1. Ray Society: London.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (September 29) Aplysia punctata Cuvier, 1803. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/aplypunc

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