Elysia verrucosa
Jensen, 1985
Order: SACOGLOSSA
Superfamily: ELYSIOIDEA
Family: Elysiidae
DISTRIBUTION
Hong Kong
PHOTO
These animals are part of the original material on which the species is based. Hong Kong, April 1983. Photos: Brian Darvell
Elysia verrucosa has a greyish green appearance. Large white (unpigmented) spots, corresponding to the position of papillae are scattered on the head and external surface of the parapodia. Small black spots, some of which are ocellate, are abundant on the entire body surface. These spots are the only coloration in preserved specimens. Small red or orange spots are also abundant. The tips of the rhinophores are white. Below the tips is a dark brown band. The parapodial margins are white. This may extend as a fairly broad white band along the external surface of the parapodia. The most characteristic feature of E. verrucosa are the abundant blunt papillae on the head and parapodia. The eyes are fairly small, barely distinguishable from the ocellate black spots. The foot is anteriorly divided by a transverse groove. The pericardium is short with a narrow posterior elongation. The dorsal veins are very indistinct. There is one pair of posterior veins which send numerous branches towards the parapodial margins. Besides this there may be one or two paris of lateral branches from the pericardium. The parapodia are normally held together dorsally. [Summarised from Jensen, 1985].
Reference:
• Jensen, K.R. (1985) Annotated checklist of Hong Kong Ascoglossa (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia), with descriptions of four new species. In: Morton, B. & Dudgeon, D. (Eds.) Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on the Malacofauna of Hong Kong and Southern China, Hong Kong, 1983. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong.
Rudman, W.B., 2003 (August 27) Elysia verrucosa Jensen, 1985. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet/elysverr
