Aplysia punctata? from Sicily

October 2, 2003
From: Sara

Hello,
My husband and I found this Aplysia in August in Sicily, at a depth of about 15 m during a night dive. Before seeing this Forum I thought it was Aplysia depilans, but now I think it is A. punctata. Could you please confirm?

Sara

sara.valla@unipr.it

Sara, 2003 (Oct 2) Aplysia punctata? from Sicily. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10997

Dear Sara,
Sea Hares can at times be quite difficult to identify and I am afraid a photo of just the front half doesn't give me enough information to be sure. Both A. depilans and A. punctata have the parapodia joined quite high at the back of the animal while in A. fasciata the parapodia are not really joined posteriorly. Also in A. punctata the shell is visible through a large opening or foramen in the mantle, while in A. depilans there is a very small pore. Another difference is that in A. depilans the posterior end of the foot often forms a broad rounded temporary sucker, as the animal crawls along, while in the other species it doesn't. You may be able to see some of these details in other photos, or you may remember from the living animal
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Oct 2). Comment on Aplysia punctata? from Sicily by Sara. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10997

Factsheet

Aplysia depilans

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