Superfamily Aplysioidea Higher classification Aplysia | Scientific name Aplysia parvula Rank Species | |
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Similar Aplysia, Aplysiomorpha, Aplysiidae, Molluscs, Gastropods | ||
The dwarf sea hare or pygmy sea hare, Aplysia parvula, is a species of sea slug, specifically a sea hare, a marine gastropod mollusc in the Aplysiidae family.
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Distribution
This is a circumtropical sea hare. It usually occurs in less than 5 m of water, but is occasionally found in water as deep as 24 m.
The type locality of Aplysia parvula is Saint Vincent, Lesser Antilles.
Description
The dwarf sea hare is round-bodied and smooth-skinned with a slender head bearing extensions which resemble rabbit ears. There are wing-like flaps (parapodia) extending from the body, which is brown to maroon or olive green in colour and may be covered with clusters of white spots.
The maximum recorded length for this animal is 60 mm.
Ecology
The minimum recorded depth for this species is 0.5 m; maximum recorded depth is 30 m.
The species is a herbivore, and feeds on different types of algae. Its egg mass is a tangled mass of sticky orange, green or brown strings found under rocks or among algae.
