ΘΑΛΑΣΣΙΟ ΕΙΔΟΣ

Sea Hare

About

Harmless to humans - it doesn't bite or sting, and its ink isn't toxic to skin (though it can stain clothes or hands). The one caution is for dogs: if you find a sea hare washed up on the beach, keep pets away - its skin contains compounds that can be toxic if swallowed by an animal.

The Sea Hare (Aplysia) is a large gastropod mollusc - essentially a giant sea slug with no external shell. The most common species in Greece is Aplysia fasciata. Its name comes from the two large rhinophores on its head, which resemble rabbit ears - in reality, highly sensitive chemical-sensing organs.

When it feels threatened, it releases a thick purple or pink ink, made from the red algae it eats, to temporarily blind and confuse predators. On the seabed it crawls like a snail, but to swim it rhythmically flaps two side flaps (parapodia), a motion that resembles a flamenco dancer.

It is strictly herbivorous, feeding on algae and seagrass in shallow water - its colour depends on the algae it eats, ranging from olive and green to brown, red or almost black. It is among the largest sea slugs in the world: in Greece individuals are usually 20-30cm, but under ideal conditions it can reach 70cm and nearly 2kg.

It is a hermaphrodite, carrying both male and female reproductive organs, and often forms long mating chains. It lays its eggs in long, sticky yellow or orange strands that look like spaghetti, deposited on the seabed.