Elysia ornata

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 ornata
Elysia ornata
Elysia ornata about 2 cm in length
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Family: Plakobranchidae
Genus: Elysia
Species:
E. ornata
Binomial name
Elysia ornata
(Swainson, 1840) [1]

Description

Elysia ornata can grow to about 5 centimetres (2.0 in) in length.[2] It is a translucent greenish-yellow colour speckled with white and black. It has broad parapodia each edged with an orange band and a black margin. The rhinophores are similarly coloured with a band of orange and dark tips.[3] Its main food source is algae and are found on submergent vegetation.[4]

Distribution

Elysia ornata is a tropical species found in both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.[3] It is found in the benthic zone at depths of 0–18 m (0–59 ft).[4]

References
  1. Gofas, Serge (2010). "Elysia ornata (Swainson, 1840)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  2. "The Sea Slug Forum - Elysia ornata". 15 July 2010.
  3. Elysia ornata SeaSlugForum. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  4. Palomares ML, Pauly D, eds. (2022). "Elysia ornata" in SeaLifeBase. October 2022 version.
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