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