Home Acknowledgments Conventions Glossary Maps References Links Articles Thumbnails Species list Family Next species _______________   Additional Photos   interior   dark   pale   young, 4.5 mm    young shell   egg masses _______________   GALLERY	Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828   Maximum size:  about 200 mm (Hoover, 2006). Identification:  This is a large, dusky gray to light brown sea hare dusted with white flecks and with anastomizing brown lines that form irregular rings on the sides of the parapodia. In pale animals the lines may only be obvious on the head. (Note 1) The edges of the parapodia, rhinophores and oral tentacles are usually pale violet. Natural history:  Aplysia dactylomela is a common species found in tide pools and shallow rocky habitats at depths of  < 1 to 2 m (< 3 to 6 ft). Rarely, it can be found in Halimeda kanaloana beds to depths of 10 m (33 ft). It's nocturnal and conceals itself under rocks during the day where it can often be seen in pairs near its egg masses. Rarely, it may rest in the open during the day at more exposed sites. When disturbed, it ejects bright purple dye. It lays a tangled, light brown to greenish, spaghetti-like egg mass that is attached to the underside of a rock. Distribution:  Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, French Frigate Shoals, Laysan, Midway and Kure: circumtropical. Taxonomic notes:  It's referred to as the "white speckled sea hare" in Hoover, 1998 & 2006. It was first reported from Hawaii in Pease, 1860 (as Syphonota grandis). Photo:  CP: Hekili Point, Maui; April 10, 2009. Observations and comments: Note 1:  Animals found on Kauai and in the Leeward Islands appear to consistently have less well-defined brown rings on the exterior of the parapodia.
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