Elysia kushimotoensis and E. rufescens

May 24, 2002
From: Nishina Masayoshi

Dear Bill,
I also think that your animal from Christmas Island is E.kushimotoensis.
We find this animal at Hachijo Island, Japan too.

Photo by Rie Nakako,
Date: December 2001
Length: 30mm

Best Regards,
Nishina Masayoshi

nishina@wips.co.jp

Masayoshi, N., 2002 (May 24) Elysia kushimotoensis and E. rufescens. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7013

Dear Nishina,
Thanks for this interestng photo. is the photo you have sent the usual colour or is this a particularly bright coloured animal?
I am thinking that perhaps like in Hermaea zosterae, smaller animals havea purplish colouration which darkens to black or dark brown as the animal grows in size.

I have checked Baba's description of E. kushimotoensis and it certainly fits the Christmas Island animal:
'Length about 30mm. Ground colour yellowish green, the head brownish, the parapodial surface more darker, almost chocolate brown, and conspicuously maculated with white; the whole body scattered with additional orange-red spots. parapodial margin with a double border, the outer black and the inner orange-red. Rhinophores brownish to the tip.'

From this I think we can be pretty sure that E. kushimotoensis is a synonym of E. rufescens. I would appreciate any comments or photos which might help bridge the gaps between the different colour forms.

• Baba, K (1957) The species of the genus Elysia from Japan. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 6: 69-74.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (May 24). Comment on Elysia kushimotoensis and E. rufescens by Nishina Masayoshi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/7013

Factsheet

Elysia rufescens

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