Walking Seahare

The walking seahare is a large sea slug found grazing on shallow seagrass beds and sandy bottoms, where its brown to reddish body blends seamlessly with the substrate. Unlike most sea slugs, it moves actively across the seafloor on a muscular foot rather than gliding smoothly, earning its distinctive common name. The animal feeds on algae and seagrass, and when threatened, it can release a purple or red ink as a chemical defence. Divers spotting one in motion will notice its characteristic ambling gait, quite different from the fluid locomotion of other gastropods.