Elysia subornata
Verrill, 1901

Order: SACOGLOSSA
Superfamily: ELYSIOIDEA
Family: Elysiidae

DISTRIBUTION

West Atlantic [Florida (the Keys), Carribean, Brazil]

PHOTO

Upper: Lark Cay, Belize. Photo: Jeff Hamann
Lower: Titusville, Florida, USA. On Caulerpa prolifera. Photo: Christian Glardon

According to Clark (1984) this species is highly variable in colour, ranging from 'yellow green, to dusky olive, to reddish, usually with brownish to black parapodial margins (pale or absent in some specimens)'. The parapodial margin is thickened and whitish, probably due to large glands along the edge. The parapodia are minutely papillose, and often have white spots, sometimes with black rings. The rhinophores are papillose, and have bands of white, grey and or brown. Sometimes the white on the rhinophores and a median white line on the 'neck' form Y shape.

The renopericardial lump is characteristically extremely elongate. From the swollen anterior heart region just inside the parapodia, there is a broad elongation running down the midline, almost to the posterior end of the body. Small lateral vessels branch off this central elongation, all along its length. Grows to 50mm, making it one of the largest west Atlantic sacoglossan. Clark considers Elysia cauze Marcus & Marcus, 1957, from Brazil, to be a synonym. It is one of a number of west Atlantic species with a black parapodial margin. Clark considers the elongate pericardial hump to be an important external distinguishing character.

References.
• Clark, K.B. (1984) New records and synonymies of Bermuda opisthobranchs (Gastropoda). The Nautilus, 98(2): 85-97.
• Redfern. C., 2001. Bahamian Seashells: a Thousand Species from Abaco, Bahamas.

See separate page for full Reference List

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2002 (October 16) Elysia subornata Verrill, 1901. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/elyssubo

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