Elysia tuca from Southern Bahamas

February 20, 2004
From: Marina Poddubetskaia

Dear Bill,
Recently, I spent one week with Anne DuPont diving and snorkelling in the Southern Bahamas. Anne's boat is anchored near Stocking Island (Exuma) and we've found there a lot of cephalaspideans (already contributed to the Forum by Anne) and many Elysia species.

Little by little I will send you different photos and Anne could complete them on her come back from the Bahamas.

So, I will start with this sacoglossan which I think to be Elysia tuca. I'd like to have your opinion on my ID, please. This species seems quite common near Stocking Island. The first specimen is the largest of all I've seen there. I found it on the seaweed, just like in the photo. Other specimens were found on a specific alga (see attached photo). In the Hole n°0 I saw a lot of this algae invaded by this Elysia. So, I expect it is its food.

Upper & Lower Right: Great Exuma, Bahamas, Western Atlantic. Site: Stocking Island, Hole n°2. Depth: 4.5m. February 01, 2004. Size: 18-20mm
Lower Left: Great Exuma, Bahamas, Western Atlantic. Site: Stocking Island, Hole n°0. Depth: 1m. February 05, 2004. Size: 13-15mm.
Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia - Nembro website

Thank you in advance for your help.
Best wishes,
Marina (and Anne).

nembro@nembro.info

Poddubetskaia, M,, 2004 (Feb 20) Elysia tuca from Southern Bahamas. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12254

Dear Marina,
I look forward to photos of Caribbean sacoglossans. There have nbeen a lot of names given to species of Elysia but its not easy to identify them from the published descriptions which often have very poor descriptions of their external features.

I agree that this is Elysia tuca. It looks remarkably similar to the narrow form of Elysiella pusilla, an Indo-Pacific species which also feeds on algae of the genus Halimeda, which your species also does. I have included one of your photos of the algae alongside.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2004 (Feb 20). Comment on Elysia tuca from Southern Bahamas by Marina Poddubetskaia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12254

Factsheet

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