| Elysia lobata | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Family: | Plakobranchidae |
| Genus: | Elysia |
| Species: | E. lobata |
| Binomial name | |
| Elysia lobata | |
Elysia lobata is a species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Plakobranchidae. [1] This sea slug resembles a nudibranch, but it is not closely related to that order of gastropods, instead it is a sacoglossan.
Elysia lobata can grow to a length of 15 millimetres (0.59 in). In his original short description of the species in 1852, Augustus Addison Gould wrote: "Animal slug-like, greenish, dotted with black, and bordered with yellow; edge of mantle expanded in to a three lobed lateral wing. Head small with very large and long tentacles, tipped with sky-blue". [2]
Elysia lobata is found in Hawaii, the Marshall Islands and parts of Japan. [2]
Sea slug is a common name for some marine invertebrates with varying levels of resemblance to terrestrial slugs. Most creatures known as sea slugs are actually gastropods, i.e. they are sea snails that over evolutionary time have either completely lost their shells, or have seemingly lost their shells due to having a greatly reduced or internal shell. The name "sea slug" is most often applied to nudibranchs, as well as to a paraphyletic set of other marine gastropods without obvious shells.
Sacoglossa, commonly known as the sacoglossans or the "solar-powered sea slugs", are a superorder of small sea slugs and sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks that belong to the clade Heterobranchia. Sacoglossans live by ingesting the cellular contents of algae, hence they are sometimes called "sap-sucking sea slugs".
Elysia chlorotica is a small-to-medium-sized species of green sea slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusc. This sea slug superficially resembles a nudibranch, yet it does not belong to that clade of gastropods. Instead it is a member of the clade Sacoglossa, the sap-sucking sea slugs. Some members of this group use chloroplasts from the algae they eat for photosynthesis, a phenomenon known as kleptoplasty. Elysia chlorotica is one of these "solar-powered sea slugs". It lives in a subcellular endosymbiotic relationship with chloroplasts of the marine heterokont alga Vaucheria litorea.
Elysia viridis, the sap-sucking slug, is a small-to-medium-sized species of green sea slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusc in the family Plakobranchidae.
Elysia is a genus of sea slugs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Plakobranchidae. These animals are colorful sea slugs, and they can superficially resemble nudibranchs, but are not very closely related to them. Instead they are sacoglossans, commonly known as sap-sucking slugs.
Elysia crispata, common name the lettuce sea slug' or lettuce slug, is a large and colorful species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk.
Elysia ornata, commonly known as ornate elysia or ornate leaf slug, is a species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk. This sea slug superficially resembles a nudibranch, yet it does not belong to that suborder of gastropods. Instead it is a member of the closely related clade Sacoglossa, the "sap-sucking" sea slugs.
Elysia timida is a species of sacoglossan sea slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk. Found in the Mediterranean and nearby parts of the Atlantic, it is herbivorous, feeding on various algae in water.
Elysia pusilla is a species of small sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Plakobranchidae. It is a sacoglossan.
Melibe is a genus of sea slugs, nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Tethydidae.
Chromodoris joshi is a species of sea slug. It is a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae.
Phyllidia elegans, also known as the elegant phyllidia, is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Phyllidiidae. It is found in shallow water in the Red Sea and the tropical Indo-Pacific region.
Bosellia is a genus of sea slugs, marine gastropod mollusks within the superfamily Plakobranchoidea.
Tayuva lilacina is a species of sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, shell-less marine gastropod mollusks in the family Discodorididae. A number of species descriptions are considered to be synonyms.
Elysia clarki is a species of sacoglossan sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Plakobranchidae.
Elysia catulus is a small species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Plakobranchidae. This sea slug resembles a nudibranch, but it is not closely related to that order of gastropods, instead it is a sacoglossan. The specific name "catulus" comes from the Greek and means "little cat", referring to the superficial resemblance that the head of this slug bears to the head of a cat.
Elysia diomedea is a species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Plakobranchidae.
Elysia trisinuata is a species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Plakobranchidae. This sea slug resembles a nudibranch but is not closely related to that order of gastropods, instead belonging to another clade, Sacoglossa, the "sap-sucking" sea slugs.
Elysia serca, the seagrass elysia or Caribbean seagrass elysia, is a species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Plakobranchidae. Although this sea slug resembles a nudibranch, it is not a nudibranch; it belongs to the clade, Sacoglossa, the "sap-sucking" sea slugs. It was first described by Marcus in 1955 from specimens found in Brazil.
Elysia marginata is a marine gastropod in the family Plakobranchidae. It is known for its ability to regenerate its whole body and heart after autotomizing it from its head.