Phyllaplysia is a genus of sea slugs, specifically sea hares, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Aplysiidae, the sea hares.

Some authors place this genus in a separate family, Dolabriferidae.

Species

Species within the genus Phyllaplysia include:

  • Phyllaplysia engeli <small>Marcus, 1955</small>
  • Distribution : tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Length : 5&nbsp;mm
  • Phyllaplysia padinae <small>Williams & Gosliner, 1973</small>
  • Distribution : in bays and estuaries of the Gulf of California.
  • Length : 45&nbsp;mm
  • Color : greenish with white spots
  • Phyllaplysia smaragda <small>K.B. Clark, 1977</small> or Emerald Leaf Slug
  • Distribution : along Florida's Atlantic Coast
  • Description : feeds on algae growing on the seagrass Syringodium. Discovered in 1970 and not been seen since 1982. It is now reported extinct, even if it was never listed on the Endangered Species Act.
  • Phyllaplysia taylori <small>Dall, 1900</small> Taylor's sea hare or eelgrass sea hare

References

  • Photo of Taylor's Sea Hare