Elysia serca from Bahamas - pale form

March 12, 2004
From: Marina Poddubetskaia


Dear Bill,
In the Southern Bahamas I discovered a new [to me] Elysia species. All the specimens were tiny and I could clearly separate them into a pale or a dark colour form. I called them Elysia sp.1 and sp.2, just in case they could be two different species. But they were found in one same place and they seem to feed on the same alga (see my next message [#12392]).

I wrote to Kathe Jensen to have her opinion. Her answer was very interesting and full. Here is an extract :
I think I have an ID for Elysia sp. 1 and 2. In fact I am pretty sure they are the same species ... Many years ago I synonymized 2 of Marcus' species, Elysia serca and E. clena, and this is what I think you have here. They feed on seagrasses, and I think that the seagrass on your pictures is Halodule wrightii. So the name should be Elysia serca ..."

Date: February 03, 2004
Location: Great Exuma, Bahamas, Western Atlantic. Site: Stocking Island, Hole n°2. Depth: 1m. Upper: 5mm. Lower: 7mm
Photos: Marina Poddubetskaia - Nembro website

Cordially,
Marina.

nembro@nembro.info

Poddubetskaia, M., 2004 (Mar 12) Elysia serca from Bahamas - pale form. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12391

Thanks Marina,
These little sea grass-eating species are a very interesting sacoglossan adaptation. I agree with Kathe's synonymy of E. serca and E. clena but can't see any reason why the third species, E. catulus isn't included as well. Elysia chlorotica would seem to have a similar geographical distribution down the Atlantic coast of the Americas so it would not be that strange from the Elysia catulus to do the same.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2004 (Mar 12). Comment on Elysia serca from Bahamas - pale form by Marina Poddubetskaia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12391

Factsheet

Elysia serca

Related messages

  1. Re: Elysia serca
    From: Kathe R. Jensen, March 22, 2004
  2. Re: Elysia serca
    From: Skip Pierce, March 15, 2004
  3. Elysia serca from Bahamas - dark form
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia, March 12, 2004
  4. Elysia serca from Bahamas - food plant
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia, March 12, 2004

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