Sea Hares? in Pulau Aur, Malaysia

September 30, 2002
From: Barbara Phua


Hi Dr Rudman
Sea Hares in Pulau Aur, Malaysia
Are these seahares? I read somewhere that they are only found in Australia. I was surprised to spot this one at Teluk Teluran, in Pulau Aur, Malaysia.
Barbara Phua

babala.pan@pacific.net.sg

Phua, B., 2002 (Sep 30) Sea Hares? in Pulau Aur, Malaysia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8073

Dear Barbara,
Sea Hares are found in most parts of the world. Some species are only found in some regions, but others, such as Aplysia dactylomela, have very wide distribution. However your animal is a Sea Slug, but not a Sea Hare. It is Berthella martensi, which is notaspidean, sometimes called a 'Side-gilled Slug' because it has a large gill hidden on the right side of the body between the mantle and the foot. This psecies is quite variable in colour, and in brown animals the dark brown spots, which are so characteristic of this species, are gard to see [see lower photo]
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Sep 30). Comment on Sea Hares? in Pulau Aur, Malaysia by Barbara Phua. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/8073

Factsheet

Berthella martensi

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