Bursatella ocelligera

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Aplysiida
Family: Aplysiidae
Genus: Bursatella
Species: Bursatella ocelligera

Bursatella ocelligera is a sea hare in the family Aplysiidae, sometimes called the ragged or shaggy sea hare.

Its body is covered in fine, branched filaments that give it a shaggy, untidy look. These help it blend into sand, mud and algae, so it can be surprisingly hard to spot even though it is a fairly chunky slug. Look closely and you may see small blue-ringed spots scattered over the body.

Like other sea hares, it grazes on algae and the thin films that coat sand and rubble.

In the Philippines watch for it on sandy and silty bottoms and in seagrass, especially on muck dives. Move slowly and use a low angle so the filaments stand out against the background, and use side light or a snoot to bring out their texture.

It appears on page 303 of Nudibranchs of the Philippines.

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