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Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda > sea slugs > Order Anaspidea
Extraordinary sea hare
Aplysia extraordinaria
Family Aplysiidae
updated May 2020
Where seen? This sea hare is indeed rather flamboyant, and is sometimes seen on our Southern shores, among seagrasses near reefs. Sometimes, half buried in soft sediments. Elsewhere, it is considered common.

Features: 8-10cm, elsewhere it can grow to 40cm long! Body large, fleshy and smooth, various shades of brown with small white spots. The inner surface of the 'wings' (called parapodia) dark with a pattern of irregular white blotchy bars and smaller white blotches. Large rhinophores, oral tentacles with frilly flaps. It releases purple ink when disturbed. It can swim by flapping its parapodia.

What does it eat? It is believed to eat seagrass.

Kusu Island, Apr 05

Large, flappy tentacles.

Half buried in soft sediments.
Pulau Semakau, Feb 16

Releasing purple ink.
Pulau Semakau, Feb 16

Kusu Island, Mar 06

Cyrene Reef, Apr 10
Photo shared by Toh Chay Hoon on her blog.

A mating pair with one nestled between the
parapodia of another!

One sea hare nestled in
between the parapodia of another.
Pulau Jong, May 10
Photo shared by James Koh on flickr.
Extraordinary sea hare (Aplysia extraordinaria)
Extraordinary sea hare (Aplysia extraordinaria)
Extraordinary sea hares on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr
Other sightings on Singapore shores

Tanah Merah, Aug 09

Tanah Merah, Jul 09

Tanah Merah, Aug 09

St John's Island, Feb 13
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on flickr.

Kusu Island, May 10
Photo shared by James Koh on his blog.

Lazarus, Jan 19
Photo shared by Abel Yeo on facebook.

Pulau Jong, May 10
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Pulau Semakau (West), Jan 21
Photo shared by Jianlin Liu on facebook.

Terumbu Bemban, Apr 24
Photo shared by Tammy Lim on facebook.

Terumbu Raya, Aug 21
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.

Pulau Semakau South, Feb 16
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

Terumbu Pempang Laut, Apr 11
Photo shared by James Koh on his blog.
Links References
  • Tan Siong Kiat and Henrietta P. M. Woo, 2010 Preliminary Checklist of The Molluscs of Singapore (pdf), Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore.
  • Wells, Fred E. and Clayton W. Bryce. 2000. Slugs of Western Australia: A guide to the species from the Indian to West Pacific Oceans. Western Australian Museum. 184 pp.
  • Coleman, Neville. 2001. 1001 Nudibranchs: Catalogue of Indo-Pacific Sea Slugs. Neville Coleman's Underwater Geographic Pty Ltd, Australia.144pp.
  • Kuiter, Rudie H and Helmut Debelius. 2009. World Atlas of Marine Fauna. IKAN-Unterwasserachiv. 723pp.
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