Elysia flava
Verrill, 1901
Order: SACOGLOSSA
Superfamily: ELYSIOIDEA
Family: Elysiidae
DISTRIBUTION
Tropical and warmwater Atlantic. Mots records are from the western Atlantic [Caribbean to Brazil] but it has also been sometimes recorded from the Mediterranean.
PHOTO
Locality: St.. John's, intertidal, Antigua, Caribbean Ocean, 12 April 2009, Shallow coral shoal. Length: 10 mm. Photographer: D.Y. Zhang.
The animal is a translucent yellowish colour with the dark green branching of the parapodial digestive gland showing though. There are some white papillae on the outside of the parapodia and a whitish border to the parapodia. Along the edge of the parapodial are raised opaque white rounded papillae. There are also a pair of white spots on the skin above the eyes, and also in the same region the orange buccal bulb can be seen through the body wall.
Although this species seems to be widespread in the western Atlantic, the first report of it after Verrill's description from Bermuda in 1901 was Thompson's 1977 record from Jamaica. Thompson & Jaklin (1988) also recorded it from the eastern Mediterranean, and since then there have been occasional records from mediterraean waters. It has many similarities to the western Pacific species Elysia obtusa Baba, 1938
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Marcus, E. (1980). Review of western Atlantic Elysiidae (Opisthobranchia Ascoglossa) with a description of a new Elysia species. Bulletin of Marine Science, 30(1): 54-79.
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Thompson, T. E. (1977). Jamaican opisthobranch molluscs I. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 43(2): 93-139,pls.1-3.
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Thompson, T. E. and A. Jaklin (1988). Eastern Mediterranean opisthobranchia: Elysiidae (Sacoglossa = Ascoglossa). Journal of Molluscan Studies, 54: 59-69.
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Verrill, A. E. (1901). Additions to the fauna of the Bermudas. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Science, 11: 15-62.
Rudman, W.B., 2009 (June 2) Elysia flava Verrill, 1901. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/elysflav
Related messages
Re: Elysia flava from the Mediterranean
June 9, 2009
From: M. Baki Yokes
Concerning message #22524:
Dear Bill, just to make a contribution to the known distribution range of Elysia flava, here is a photo from the Aegean Sea.
Locality: Gokova, 3 m, Turkey, Aegean Sea, 28 June 2006, Observed under a rock but photographed on sand. Length: 8 mm. Photographer: M. Baki Yokes.
Regards
Baki
bakiyokes@turk.net
Yokes, M.B., 2009 (Jun 9) Re: Elysia flava from the Mediterranean. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22527Dear Baki,
Just as I was thinking that all Atlantic animals had two white spots above the eyes, you send me a photo showing one without them. Oh well it was a nice idea!Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Elysia flava from the Mediterranean
June 5, 2009
From: Erwin Koehler
Concerning message #22497:
Dear Bill,
Here is a shot of Elysia flava from Italy, which increases the distribution to East Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. The 2 white spots near the eyes are not so clear, but I think I can see them...
Locality: Punta Greca, Porto San Paolo, Sardinia Island , 3 m , Italy, Mediterranean sea, July 1996 . Length: 9 mm . Photographer: Mauro Doneddu.
Erwin Koehler
Erwin@Philippine-Sea-Slugs.com
Koehler, E., 2009 (Jun 5) Elysia flava from the Mediterranean. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/22524
Dear Erwin,
Thanks for reminding me of the Mediterraean records. I think Tom Thompson was the first to record it from the Mediterrnean, but I may be wrong. I've included an enlarged version of the head and the two white spots above the eyes are clearly present. I don't know if those spots are an indication that the Pacific and Atlantic species are different but it may be worth anyone comparing the two anatomically to keep these 'eyespots' in mind as a possible external character.
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Thompson, T. E. and A. Jaklin (1988). "Eastern Mediterranean opisthobranchia: Elysiidae (Sacoglossa = Ascoglossa). Journal of Molluscan Studies, 54: 59-69.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Elysia flava from Antigua, Caribbean
June 2, 2009
From: Deang Yan Zhang
Dear Bill,
Many thanks for your opinion on the Elysia papillosa[message #22424]. Here is another species I guess is possibly Elysia flava Verrill, 1901. The colours of the animal are greenish yellow, dark green only in interior of the parapodia and somewhat semitransparent so it partly changes colour to match the surrounding environment. One characteristic is the parapodial margins which are white and have a series of white vesicles, which are like pendant lights hung along the edge of the parapodia. Some vesicles are also scattered on the surface of the parapodia and dorsal surface of the animal. There are two white spots on the skin which match up with the subepidermal eyes.
In April 12 2009, this specimen was found on under side of a piece coral at very low tide on the shoal, there was just out of the water. The length is 10 mm.
Locality: St.. John's, intertidal, Antigua, Caribbean Ocean, 12 April 2009, Shallow coral shoal. Length: 10 mm. Photographer: D.Y. Zhang.
Thank you again.
Best Regards,
D.Y. Zhang
kejushi@hotmail.com
Dear Deane Zhang,
Thanks for these photos of E. flava. I have wanted to include this species on the Forum for some time, because it is very similar - if not identical to Elysia obtusa, which was described from Japan and has since been found throughout the tropical Pacific. Interestingly, I see in the photos we have on the Forum of E. obtusa, that many specimens also have the two white spots above the eyes, which your report for E. flava.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
