Tagging studies on the growth of the sea hare Aplysia kurodai on an intertidal rocky shore

A total of 1,427 juvenile Aplysia kurodai were tagged and released during spring tides in January and February, 1973, on the rocky shore of Nabeta Bay, Japan. Recapture, weighing and release were repeated within a defined observation area during 10 spring tides from late January to early June. Recapture rates decreased with time and became significantly low after the end of the spawning season (March and April in this area). Of 1,427 individuals released, 550 (ca. 39%) were never recaptured. Only 68 individuals (ca. 5%) were recaptured 5 to 10 times during the observation period. The growth curves of these 68 individuals displayed a common growth pattern of body weight increasing almost linearly, attaining a maximum during the spawning season and then decreasing gradually. The maximum weight varied fairly widely from one individual to another. Laboratory measurements indicated a growth pattern similar to that observed in the field, and a fairly remarkable daily fluctuation in body weight was observed under laboratory conditions. The described tagging-recapture method, with slight modifications, should prove useful for future studies on the life history and ecology of A. kurodai.