Sea slugs in the Canary Islands: Spotted sea hare (Aplysia dactylomela)
You might've seen this unusual creature while on holiday in the Canary Islands and you've probably wondered what it is.
Common sea rabbit / Spotted sea hare is a species of sea slug that can be seen in the Canary Islands archipelago.
The Common sea rabbit (Aplysia dactylomela) is a marine invertebrate of the family Aplysiidae. It was first scientifically described in 1828.
It is present in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, as well as in the Caribbean Sea and the Red Sea. Since 2002 I have seen them in the Mediterranean Sea. It can be observed at depths of up to 30 meters, as adult specimens can reach 30 centimeters.
During the day they will mostly hide under large rocks and in crevices. They usually stay in relatively shallow water, but they have been found as deep as 40 m.
In the Canary Islands, we've seen this type of sea slug most often in Gran Canaria, for example, these photos were taken in Areguineguin in January, right by the beach Las Maranuelas, at low tide, when there were puddles between the rocks with lots of crabs and slugs stranded.
