Dear David,
The ink released by Sea hares or Aplysia's contains phycoerythrobilin which
is produced by feeding on certain red seaweeds. For more information I refer
to the following website:
http://members.macconnect.com/users/t/tnolen/InkGlandAbst.htm
Best regards,
Henk K. Mienis
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----- Original Message -----
From: David Kirsh <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2001 10:58 PM
Subject: I'm happy to Aplysia- some questions


> Just came back from 3 days on Grand Bahama. When I poked sea hares, they
> squirted purple ink.
>
> What is the function of the ink? Is it a noxious substance? Is it to
> camouflage? Is it to startle?
>
> Another burning weekend question: I checked all the gorgonians I could,
but
> only  found one flamingo's tongue, Cyphoma gibbosum. (I put it back, since
I
> already have one). I have yet to find a single C. macgintyi or signatum or
> even Simnia acicularis. Are these staying on particular anthozoans or are
> they not very selective? Are there websites that depict some of these
> colonial creatures?
>
> Here's another question: what makes Chicoreus florifer dilectus the
> subspecies of C. florifer and not the other way around?
>
> David Kirsh
> Durham, NC