Swimming Aplysia fasciata (2)

November 22, 2002
From: Job Tammens and Cisca Dekker


Dear Bill,
Thanks for your answer to our message. Here are two more pictures. The first attached foto shows my very brave girlfriend Cisca showing some local boys that it¹s completely harmless and therefore it¹s not necessary to hit them with everything available!!! It looks like they got the message. The second one is just to show you that seahares maybe appreciate a beautiful surrounding?!

Can you tell us what the two little black points in the neck are? I hope you enjoy the pictures and maybe next year we can send you some more.

Kind regards,
Job Tammens and Cisca Dekker.

job.tammens@12move.nl

Tammens, J. and Dekker, C., 2002 (Nov 22) Swimming Aplysia fasciata (2). [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8477

Dear Job & Cisca,
Thanks for the photos. It certainly looks a beautiful spot to be a sea slug - except when small boys are on the prowl. Concerning the black spots you ask about. Sea Hares have two pairs of head tentacles - one pair, the oral tentacles, are clearly visible at the front of the head. The black spots, are the second pair, called rhinophores, which are set further back on the head. They usually are quite prominent and upright, but when out of water or constantly in and out of water, as they would be when swimming like this, they contract into small lumps. Have a look at the photos on the Aplysia parvula page to see the shape of the head more clearly. In those photos you will see a little black spot just in front of each rhinophore. That is the eye. It can't see images, only light and dark. Your Sea Hares are blissfully unaware of their beautiful surroundings - except for what they can feel with the oral tentacles and smell with their rhinophores.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Nov 22). Comment on Swimming Aplysia fasciata (2) by Job Tammens and Cisca Dekker. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8477

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