Aplysia oculifera
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Aplysia oculifera | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Order: | Aplysiida |
| Family: | Aplysiidae |
| Genus: | Aplysia |
| Species: | A. oculifera |
| Binomial name | |
| Aplysia oculifera A. Adams & Reeve, 1850 | |
| Synonyms | |
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List
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Aplysia oculifera is a species of gastropod belonging to the family Aplysiidae.[1][2]
Aplysiidae, or more commonly called sea hares, can be identified by a seemingly lack of an outer shell but instead have a flat, internal shell closely resembling a plate that protects their mantle.[3]
The Aplysia oculifera can come in different colors, but they share these distinct features: dots lining the body, rings around the head, and parapodia that are long and wavy.[3][4] The species was detailed in the book The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Samarang written during the years of 1843–1846.[5] British naturalists Arthur Adams and Lowell Reeve are credited with the first descriptions of the species.[5] The species has been found in the Indian and Pacific oceans.[4] There is very little known about this species with sparse publishings about their anatomy.
Habitat and feeding
The Aplysia oculifera can be found along coasts in the Indo-Pacific areas such as Hawaii, Japan, Korea, and it has even been spotted in coasts in the Red Sea where it is said to be endemic.[4][6][7][8] They can be found in rocky intertidal zones and rely on marine algae to be present, however they have shown specific adaptations to be able to sustain themselves when food sources are scarce.[7][8][9] Aplysia oculifera tend to be more active during the day when exposed to sunlight, compared to the hours of darkness.[2][10][11]
Aplysia are known to feed on various species of marine algae.[7][9][12] However, through several studies, it has been shown that Aplysia oculifera prefer green algae such as Ulva spp..[7][11][10]