Sea hare, Aplysia kurodai is belongs to the class Gastropoda, order Anaspidea, family Aplysiiae, and is major species in coast of Korea. Boiled A. kurodai is used as a food source in Korea and is also used as a medicine source. But, little is known ab...
Sea hare, Aplysia kurodai is belongs to the class Gastropoda, order Anaspidea, family Aplysiiae, and is major species in coast of Korea. Boiled A. kurodai is used as a food source in Korea and is also used as a medicine source. But, little is known about stomach contents of A. kurodai that fed marine algae. The purpose of this study was to investigate the stomach contents of A. kurodai and its relationship with marine algae community around their habitat.
Sampling site of A. kurodai and marine algae of habitat was Yeongjinri, Bukpyeong, Chuam, Changpo, Daebo, Wollaeri, Dongbaekri in the east coast and Yeongunri, Maemuldo, Yokjido, Mijodo, Cheongsando in the south coast. Collected A. kurodai was dissected and its stomach was cut off. The marine algae occurred at stomach and surrounding marine algae of habitat were identified. In addition the marine algae that identified from stomach contents classsified according to functional form.
The number of seaweed species collected in the east coast of Korea were totally 134 species. Among them, Chlorophyta was 12 species, Ochrophyta was 32 species, Rhodophyta was 89 species and seagrass was 1 species. The number of marine algae identified from stomach contents of A. korudai collected from the east coast of Korea were totally 39 species. Among them, Chlorophyta was 7 species, Ochrophyta was 6 species and Rhodophyta was 26 species. The number of seaweed species collected in the south coast of Korea were totally 75 species. Among them, Chlorophyta was 5 species, Ochrophyta was 21 species, Rhodophyta was 48 species and seagrass was 1 species. The number of marine algae identified from stomach contents of A. korudai collected from the south coast of Korea were totally 26 species. Chlorophyta was 2 species, Ochrophyta was 3 species, Rhodophyta was 20 species and seagrass was 1 species.
The number of marine algae identified from stomach contents of A. kurodai collected from overall collecting sites were totally 51 species. Among them, sheet form was 10 species, filamentous form was 12 species, coarsely branched form was 27 species and jointed calcareous form was 1 species. Thick leathery form and crustose form were not occurred.
Consequently, A. kurodai consumed a variety of Chlorophyta, Ochrophyta and Rhodophyta. Moreover, A. kurodai consumed sheet form, filamentous form and coarsely branched form with soft tissue. Therefore, unlike sea urchin, A. kurodai was not direct herbivore that spread barren ground.