Sea Hare - Aplysia punctata
(Photo credit Tony Howells)
What is it? A type of sea slug but with an internal shell! This long and narrow animal has an upper pair of tentacles that look a lot like the ears of a hare, hence it’s name. Colour may vary from brown to olive green and even dark red.
How big is it? A sea hare can reach 20cm in length but are mostly smaller.
What does it eat? These animals tend to feed on seaweeds and the type they eat (green, brown or red) gives them their overall colour. Where do they live? Mainly in shallow waters but can often be found in rock pools during low tide, sometimes in large numbers. How can I find them? Look in amongst the seaweed in rock pools, particularly right down at the low water mark.
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