Elysia rufescens

Elysia rufescens
Original drawing used by Pease when he described the species in 1871.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
(unranked): clade Heterobranchia

clade Euthyneura
clade Panpulmonata
clade Sacoglossa
clade Plakobranchacea

Superfamily: Plakobranchoidea
Family: Plakobranchidae
Genus: Elysia
Species: E. rufescens
Binomial name
Elysia rufescens
(Pease, 1871) [1]

Elysia rufescens is a species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Plakobranchidae. This sea slug resembles a nudibranch but is not classified in that order of gastropods, instead belonging to a closely related clade, Sacoglossa, the "sap-sucking" sea slugs. This species was first described by Pease from Tahiti in 1871.

Description

Elysia rufescens is olive green with large white spots, often in a reticulated pattern, and grows to about 6 centimetres (2.4 in). The parapodia are somewhat convoluted and have dark blue edges and a submarginal orange line. The rhinophores are rolled and have blunt, greyish ends.[2] [3]

Distribution

Elysia rufescens is found in the Pacific Ocean. Its range includes the coastlines of South Africa, Réunion, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, Japan, Guam, Samoa, Tahiti, Hawaii and Australia.[3]

Biology

Elysia rufescens feeds on green filamentous algae such as Bryopsis pennata, which it rasps with each of a series of rachidian teeth.[3]

References

  1. Tran, Bastien (2010). "Elysia rufescens (Pease, 1871)". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
  2. Elysia rufescens (Pease, 1871) The Sea Slug Forum. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
  3. 1 2 3 Elysia rufescens The Slug Site. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
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