Wedge Sea Hare

Description:

Dark brown gastropod mollusk ~ 14 cm long with a wedge-shaped body ending in a flattened posterior disk.

Habitat:

Near shore shallow tropical waters; coral reef ecosystem.

Notes:

Spotted at low tide in 100-150 mm of water under a piece of coral rubble in a depression in the reef flat south of Mokauea Island, off the south shore of Oahu, when the rubble was lifted to see what was underneath. It was removed and handled to show to students and then released in shallow water near the depression. Sea hares are called kualakai in Hawaii.