What are sea hares?
Sea hares are molluscs. They belong to Phylum Mollusca and Class Gastropoda like snails. Like many other sea slugs (Subclass Opistobranchia), sea hares lack external shells as adults. Sea hares belong to Order Anaspidea and are NOT nudibranchs, which belong to a different Order Nudibranchia. Features: Sea hares have two pairs of tentacles. The front pair (called oral tentacles) are next to the mouth and usually large and fleshy, sometimes with flaps. The second pair (called rhinophores) is further behind on top of the ‘head’ and usually smaller. The tentacles are made up of rolled tubes containing chemical sensors. Some have tiny simple eyes at the base of the rhinophores. Sea hares have a pair of ‘wings’ or flaps (called parapodia) that cover the centre part of the body. Some sea hares can swim by flapping their parapodia. Like other gastropods, most sea hares have a shell, but this is reduced, thin and just under the skin. These internal shells may be made of calcium or a horn-like m
