Thursday, January 20, 2011

Sea Hare

The tide pools at Collaroy are really something. Christine made a remarkable find yesterday (more later, on the Cat's Eye), and not long ago we got photos and video of strange snaillike creature:




I think it might be a sea hare, a type of sea slug:

Sea hares have large flaps covering their backs and gills. They also have large 'ears' for which they are called 'hares'. They also have large mouth flaps with which they can explore a wide swath for edible weeds. Being so vulnerable without a large protective shell, they are nonetheless not predated upon, presumably because they taste foul. All sea hares are voracious grazers and prolific spawners. Like octopus, sea hares can squirt ink when frightened. All sea hares carry a remnant of a shell under their folds. By opening the folds gently while sliding one's finger over its skin, one can feel the thin shell. If the sea hare co-operates, it can even be seen.
I'm not sure if it's a sea hare, the colors and body shapes seem to vary greatly, but you can really sea the "ears" in the  photos, and what appears to be flaps on its back.

Here's some video of one munching on some algae:

1 comment:

  1. Very cool! Tide pools are awesome. Probably where life began. And all because of the moon, which life would indeed suck without.



    Without The Moon by Gene Burnett (©2008)

    Poets would be lost—there would be no tides
    Nothing hanging over this saloon
    The 'Starlight Sonata' just wouldn't sound right
    Life would suck without the moon—Life would suck without the moon

    There'd be no lunatics—No river wider than a mile
    Nothing for a dreamer to harpoon
    There'd be no blue ones—no full or new ones
    Life would suck without the moon—Life would suck without the moon


    There'd be nothing to remind me that the sun still shines at night
    Nothing in the sky that rhymes with June
    Howling at the stars just wouldn't seem right
    Life would suck without the moon—Life would suck without the moon

    No symbol of the feminine and all her changing shapes
    No counter to that fireball at noon
    Lovers need their guide and honey so do I
    Life would suck without the moon—Life would suck without the moon


    There'd be no eclipses and that would be a shame
    No coyotes singing out of tune
    Getting drunk on starshine just wouldn't be the same
    Life would suck without the moon—Life would suck without the moon

    Life would suck without the moon that mysterious balloon
    We reach for like a baby for a spoon
    Werewolves would be tame and the ocean would be lame
    Life would suck without the moon—Life would suck without the moon

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