Sea hares' sticky defence uncovered

By Michelle Warwicker, Reporter, BBC Nature

The sea hare, a soft-bodied marine creature, uses a sticky secretion to fool hungry predators, say scientists.

The slow-moving animals are known for defending themselves by squirting an off-putting mixture of purple ink and a white substance called opaline.

However, exactly how this sticky opaline is used to deter predators was previously unknown.

Now scientists have shown the substance coats predators' antennae, deactivating their chemical senses.

Researchers suggested that with their sense of smell blocked predators lose their appetite and spend a long time cleaning themselves of the sticky coating, allowing the sea hares to escape.

Sneaky predator avoidance

The team from Georgia State University, Atlanta, US said that their study is the first time "sensory inactivation" as a defence against predators has been shown in an experiment.

Details of their findings are published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

Continued:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/21929070