Elysiella pusilla from the Pacific coast of Mexico

December 1, 2009
From: Kevin Lee

This past July, I had the great pleasure of 'branking' with Alicia Hermosillo, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Ali's body & eyes should be registered as a national treasures, as she is able to locate slugs, small as a specks of sand or so well-camouflaged that mere mortals cannot see them.

One such slug, Elysiella pusilla, is presented here. When Ali "showed" it to me, I kept looking and looking, not knowing what it was. Finally, I had a Eureka moment and the animal registered in my brain.

Is this the same slug as the recently posted "Elysiella pusilla from Gulf of Kutch, India" [message #22859], I wonder?

Locality: Puerto Vallarta, 25 feet, Mexico, East Pacific, 05 July 2009, Rocky, sandy reef, with UW flora. Length: 1/2 inch. Photographer: Kevin Lee.

I'll share more cryptic characters, from Mexico, on the forum, which, but for Ali, I would have never seen.

Cheers,
K:-)

diverkevin@gmail.com

Lee, Kevin, 2009 (Dec 1) Elysiella pusilla from the Pacific coast of Mexico. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22899

Dear Kevin,

I am sure diving with Ali must have been very rewarding experience. From India to Mexico is certainly a long way, but from all accounts it appears that the species does indeed range from east Africa to west Mexico.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2009 (Dec 1). Comment on Elysiella pusilla from the Pacific coast of Mexico by Kevin Lee. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22899

Factsheet

Elysiella pusilla

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