Each sea hare is both male and female, but they still need to mate. Dozens pile up for sea hare orgies. They mate in lines and circles: each is male to the one in front and female to the one behind, so each is both a mother and a father. Sea hares may lay up to eighty million eggs apiece. But most of these mother-fathers' eggs are eaten by predators.
Diet algae and eelgrass
Size up to 16 inches (40.6 cm), 30 pounds (13.6 kg)
Range Northern California to Gulf of California
Relatives sea slugs and marine snails; phylum Mollusca, class Gastropoda
Conservation Notes Many kinds of plants, birds, fish, shellfish and other animals depend on the special mix of fresh and salt water found in sloughs and estuaries. When we protect wetlands against development, we protect the homes of many animals.
Cool Facts When threatened by predators, sea hares release a dark purple fluid in defense. The ink gets its purple color from a pigment in the red algae that makes up part of the sea hare's diet.
Sea hares can't see like we do; their simple eyes can only tell light from dark.