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Looking a little like a rabbit, sea hares (Aplysia californica) are a common treasure in Santa Barbara's Coal Oil Point tidepools. They can weigh up to 16 pounds but are usually more like 3 to 4 pounds in the lower pools. Although these sea slugs appear to be just a big blob, they have a hidden trick—beautiful purple ink that can be released from a gland in their mantle cavity if you reach inside the skin flaps on the top and tickle them.
In nature, this acts as a smoke screen (similar to an octopus' ink).Image credit: Genny Anderson, Santa Barbara City College
