Elysia bangtawaensis
Swennen, 1997

Order: SACOGLOSSA
Superfamily: ELYSIOIDEA
Family: Elysiidae

DISTRIBUTION

Known from mangrove swamps in Thailand and northeastern Australia.

PHOTO

Locality: Coolangata area, 5-10 cm deep, New South Wales, Australia, Pacific Ocean, 28 July 2007, Intertidal muddy creek draining mangrove swamp. Length: 35-43 mm. Photographer: Gary Cobb.

Found in the upper reaches of mangrove swamps, E. bangtawaensis rests with its parapodia lying flattened out, making the animal look like a fallen mangrove leaf.

This species of Elysia has relatively large, thin parapodia. It is uniformly dark green with a series of 12-40 prominent, reddish orange spots along the margin of the parapodia. Scattered over the body and the parapodia are opaque white spots of varying sizes and some small reddish orange specks. It seems similar in size, shape and behaviour to Elysia leucolegnote.

First described from southern Thailand, its presence in southeastern Queensland and northern new South Wales would suggest it has a wide distribution in southeastern Asia and northern Australia.

• Swennen, C. (1997) Two new gastropods, Elysia bangtawaensis and E. siamensis from southern Thailand (Opisthobranchia, Sacoglossa, Elysiidae). Bulletin Zoölogisch Museum, Universiteit van Amsterdam 16 (6): 34-38.

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 2007 (August 8) Elysia bangtawaensis Swennen, 1997. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/elysbang

Copyright © Australian Museum, 1998-2010