Two color morphs of this sea hare have been observed, bright green, and yellow, with characteristic black and white stripes (see Beeman 1970 for more complete description) This is a rather primitive species.

It has a dorsally flattened body, it is well camouflaged, being found almost exclusively on eelgrass, Zostera marina.

Phyllaplysia taylori inhabit the intertidal photic zone on the Pacific Coast of North America, occurring from British Columbia, Canada, to San Diego, CA, US.

They live in estuarine habitats and complete their life cycles entirely on Zostera marina.

Limited dispersal may lead to high levels of isolation in individual populations and potentially phenotypic differences.

[2] Phyllaplysia taylori therefore may play an important part in eelgrass community restoration efforts.

Phyllaplysia taylori has two overlapping generations yearly, often spawning in summer and fall, with abundance altering in different areas.

[4] Feet, and shell glands begin at the trochophore stage, with sensory cilia active after hatching and are on both sides of the surface of the foot.

[4] Larval shells are formed when velum starts folding back into two lobes, growing after hatching.

[8] Due to milling actions in eelgrass sea hares, the tooth growth rate is suggested to exceed their requirements.

Researchers previously thought that the absence of a shell in Phyllaplysia was the only true way to differentiate it from the other two genera in Dolabriferinae.

In addition, researchers in the early 19th century differentiated between members of the Phyllaplysia genera based on the presence of a shell and differences in color.