User:Ellahaley9/California Sea Hare

Lifecycle
Like all sea hares, the California sea hare is hermaphroditic, acting as male and female simultaneously during mating. A. californica is known to form mating chains with up to 20 animals. The eggs are yellow-green, and change after 8–9 days into a brown color before larvae hatch. Mating is most prominent during the summer following the rise of the water temperature to 17 °C.

A. californica has a generation time of 19 weeks: Days 1-37 after hatching from the egg comprise the planktonic stage, days 34-37 are the metamorphic stage, and days 45-80 are the juvenile stage. At about day 30, the larvae move on from the planktonic stage and begin to roost on algae, typically red algae. The larvae eat enough to double their weight every 10 days for the following 3 months while they undergo metamorphosis. Reproductive maturity is reached 85 days after hatching (133 days after deposition of the fertilized eggs). The development of the nervous system lasts for 140 days. The lifespan is assumed to be around a year, yet older animals have been found. Often times, the California sea hare dies shortly after laying eggs. Cooler temperatures (14-25° C, or 57-77° F) delay spawning and have been shown to extend the lifespan.

Description
The maximum length recorded for the California sea hare is 75 cm (30 in) when crawling, thus fully extended, although most adult specimens are half this size or smaller. Adult animals can weigh up to 7 kg (15 lb). A closely related species, Aplysia vaccaria, the black sea hare, can grow to be larger still.

A California sea hare is typically reddish-brown to greenish-brown, but the color varies based on the algae it ingests. Each sea hare houses four tentacles, with two on the head sheltering the eyes, and two on the face surrounding the mouth. The body has two folds, called parapodia, which envelop the gills for protection but enable water to get by. Below the body is a muscle that allows for mobility, almost like a foot. The California sea hare also has an internal shell to protect its organs.

Feeding habits
Like all Aplysia species, the California sea hare is herbivorous. Its diet consists primarily of red algae such as Laurencia pacifica, Plocamium pacificum, and Ceramium eatonianum, which give the animal its typically reddish or pinkish coloration. '''Some California sea hares will appear more brown, which helps them blend into their surroundings. ' A. californica'' resembles the food on which it grazes, and cannot be distinguished easily from the seaweed unless the animal is moving. When the sea hares eat algae, they consume toxins, which they store in themselves to repel predators. They can also release these toxins as a purple ink, which will also discourage predators from attacking them.