Elysia tuca from west coast of Florida

April 28, 2001
From: Anna L. Bass

Hey,
Thought you might could use this photo of Elysia tuca. The animal was collected on Halimeda monile. I'm not sure of the water depth, but it was in a sea grass bed. Probably not deeper than 2m. The individual is 10mm in length.
Regards,
Anna

abass@helios.acomp.usf.edu

Bass, A.L., 2001 (Apr 28) Elysia tuca from west coast of Florida. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4240

Thanks Anna,
I have included alongside an enlarged view of your photo to show part of the parapodia and the intricate network of branching digestive gland ducts in which the choroplasts from its algal food are stored. To those of you unfamilar with these animals, E. tuca is one of the solar powered sacoglossans which keeps the chloroplasts from its algal food alive in its body and uses the sugars and other nutrients produced by photosynthesis for it own use.

Waugh, GR; Clark, KB (1986): Seasonal and geographic variation in chlorophyll level of Elysia tuca (Ascoglossa: Opisthobranchia). Marine Biology, 92: 483-487.

Thanks again Anna for a photo of another relatively common animal which is quite unknown to most of us.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Apr 28). Comment on Elysia tuca from west coast of Florida by Anna L. Bass. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4240

Factsheet

Elysia tuca

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