Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-West Pacific and North-West Pacific oceans. In Australia recorded from Exmouth in Western Australia, around the tropical north, south to southern New South Wales, and including Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands.
Frequents sheltered bays and lagoons, especially intertidal areas.
Variable colourations, mottled greens and browns. Well camouflaged amongst algaes and seaweeds, emits large cloud of reddish purple ink if stepped on or disturbed. Feeds on a variety of brown, green and red macroalgae. Grows to at least 400 mm.
Gary Cobb, David Mullins, Nudibranchs Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition, 2015. Publishers Thomas Slone, Masalai Press and Tim Hochgrebe, Underwater Australasia. p.53.
Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=dolabella+auricularia. Accessed 29/07/18.