Physical Characteristics

• Size: Can stretch up to 99 cm (39 inches) and reach weights near 35 lbs.

• Appearance: Uniform dark brown or black body with rolling, graceful swimming flaps (parapodia) and prominent front sensory tentacles (rhinophores) that resemble a rabbit's ears.

• Shell: Possesses a small, thin, hidden internal shell that protects internal organs.

Habitat and Diet

• Range: Found mainly along the Southern and Baja California coasts in shallow rocky areas and tide pools.

• Diet: Strictly herbivorous, feeding heavily on giant kelp and brown algae.

• Lifespan: Typically lives for about one year, growing rapidly to achieve its massive size.

Defense and Behavior

• Non-toxic defense: Unlike some smaller sea hare relatives, the black sea hare does not release purple ink when threatened; instead, it relies on toxins absorbed directly from its algal diet stored in its tissues.

• Reproduction: They are simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning each individual has both male and female organs and can mate to fertilize one another at the same time.