Giant Sea Slug - Red & Black Sea Hare IT'S HUGE!

Sea Hares are related to snails ( mollusks ) except they do not have an outer shell. They are just like the common garden slugs that devour your backyard plants. The main difference is that they have gills rather than lungs. There are between 60-80 thousand types of mollusks that have been identified. Only three of these are sea slugs commonly found in California tide pools.

Red Sea Slugs; These are particularly difficult to see as they blend into the environment very well. This is the most common sea slug found in the inter-tidal region. They prefer to graze on specific kinds of red algae. The pigments in the red algae contribute to the overall coloration of the sea hare.

Black Sea Hare ;
this is the largest of all sea slugs. They can grow upwards of 15-30 pounds. They feed on various brown algae in deeper water. They are not commonly seen in tide pools but they can be seen on occasion.

Sea Hare has several types of defense mechanisms. The first method of protection is camouflage.
The second defense mechanism for the California Sea Hare is it can release two types if ink. The first type of ink is a dark purple colored ink similar to squid and octopus. The second form of ink is white in color and will confuse the predator into thinking it is full or no longer hungry. The black sea hare does not have the capability to produce ink.
Sea hares are usually short lived and typically life less than a year. They are hermaphrodites in that they are both male and female. They can reproduce sexually when they encounter other animals.

Sea Slugs,Sea,Slugs,Sea species,Ocean creatures,Sea Hare,Giant,Marine Creatures,Animals,