Elysia from Sulawesi
March 27, 2000
From: Lindsay Warren
Dear Bill
I found this specimen at 9.15 pm on 6 September 1999 as it was laying eggs on a sea grass blade at a depth of 5ft in the sea grass and sand flats of Pulau Kaledupa [Tukang Besi Archipelago, SE Sulawesi,
Indonesia - Operation Wallacea]. Size: 9 mm.
The body is mottled beige with white and brown speckles and is covered with short protrusions. The parapodia curl towards the centre of the animal and come to a peak about half way down its body and then, in their shorter form, continue towards the tip of the tail. The rolled rhinophores also carry short protrusions. When it moves it does so with a slight jerk - extending the front part of its body and then 'hauling' up its tail.
Photo: Lindsay Warren.
Do you know its name?
All the best
Lindsay Warren
100014.2112@compuserve.com
Warren, L., 2000 (Mar 27) Elysia from Sulawesi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2148Dear Lindsay,
I must say the more photos of Elysia that I see, the more difficult I find it to identify them. There are probably many unnamed species and I'm afraid many of the existing descriptions are difficult to interpret. Hopefully by gradually building up a collection of photos like this we will in the future begin to become familiar with the extent of the variation within the genus. Basically, I can't confidently give you a name for this animal.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.
