Lined sea hare

Stylocheilus striatus

This relatively small elongate Sea Hare usually has dark longitudinal lines and scattered eye spots, either with pink or blue centres.
During any month of the year (though more commonly in spring/summer), when populations are high, it can form vast "locust-like" swarms that migrate across the bottom stripping the substrate of cyanophytes as they advance. (Note 1) When food is exhausted, entire populations may release from the bottom and drift off on the current with the animals using mucous strings as "sails."
Lined Seahare - Stylocheilus striatus Lined Seahare - Stylocheilus striatus is small in size, this one was 2 cm but they can be up to 6 cm. Color : brownish, with blue spots; lined species, with dark longitudinal lines (as stated by its name striatus) and small eyespots, providing excellent camouflage. Description : Feeds on blue-green algae; gives off a purple ink when disturbed. Geotagged,Lined Seahare,Philippines,Seahare,Stylocheilus striatus,Summer,cebu,malapascua

Appearance

This is a small, papillate sea hare with low parapodia. Its body is cream marked with fine, longitudinal brown lines that may be interrupted in some animals. It is decorated with blue and gold ocelli.when mature (young animals lack ocelli and the ocelli gradually become more prominent and numerous with age). Mature animals lack a shell although it's present in very small juveniles.
Lined Seahare - Stylocheilus striatus Anilao,Batangas,Lined sea hare,Philippines,Sea Slug,Seahare,Stylocheilus striatus

Naming

Quoy & Gaimard, 1832

Distribution

Circumtropical

Behavior

It is primarily nocturnal although it often remains in the open during the day.

Food

It feeds on cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), particularly of the genus Lyngbya, and the blue and gold ocelli may represent aposematic coloration "advertising" the presence of toxins concentrated from its food.

Defense

Like many Sea Hares they produce a purple ink when disturbed.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

http://seaslugsofhawaii.com/species/Stylocheilus-striatus-a.html
http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/stylstri
http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=224662
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionMollusca
ClassGastropoda
OrderAplysiida
FamilyAplysiidae
GenusStylocheilus
SpeciesStylocheilus striatus
Photographed in
Philippines