Gastropods

Petalifera petalifera - Petal sea hare

Description

Petalifera petalifera is a sea slug belonging to the Aplysiidae family (Order: Aplysiida). It has a soft, elongated body with a reduced, internal shell covered by the two foot lobes. Its color ranges from gray to brownish, often with dark spots or stripes. It can reach a size of up to 10 cm.

Diet

Petalifera petalifera feeds on algae, particularly:

• Neptune grass (Posidonia oceanica) in the Mediterranean,
• Caulerpa and Padina algae in the Canary Islands,
• Enteromorpha and Sargassum in Barbados.
  It scrapes plant parts with its radula (rasp-like tongue) and also ingests microscopic food particles.

Lifestyle

• Habitat: It is found in the Mediterranean Sea and in tropical to subtropical marine areas (e.g., Canary Islands, Barbados). Prefers seagrass meadows and algae-rich coastal areas.
• Activity: Petalifera petalifera is primarily nocturnal.
• Reproduction: Like all Aplysiidae, it is a hermaphrodite and lays egg ribbons.

Fun Facts

• Synonyms: Petalifera petalifera was previously known by the names Aplysia petalifera, Aplysia brugnatelli, Aplysia depressa, Aplysia unguifera, and Aplysia webbii.
• Aquarium Use: It is sometimes used in aquariums for algae control, but it faces nutritional problems once its preferred algae are depleted