aplysia
noun
Meaning
A genus of large sea slugs, often called sea hares, known for their ability to release a purple ink when threatened.
Examples
- Researchers often use the aplysia in laboratory experiments because its neurons are exceptionally large and easy to map.
- While walking along the tide pools, we spotted a large aplysia moving slowly across the rocks.
Synonyms: sea slug, sea hare, gastropod, mollusk