Elysia viridis is a Sacoglossa of the family Plakobranchidae.
Description
Adult length of
E. viridis ranges between 15-20mm,
with an healthy adult weight of 15–20 mg.
The surface of the slug is covered in tiny spots of red, yellow, blue or green that are reported to have a glistening appearance.
extend from the sides of the slug, and are the main location of captured
.
extend upward from its head.
feed using
Radula, which in this species,
E. gordanae, can vary in design based upon the diet of the individual.
Distribution
Elysia viridis is located in the Northeastern Atlantic, primarily around the
British Islands, but has been found further north in
Sweden and
Norway,
as well as in the Mediterranean Sea.
A report of
E. viridis being found in south Africa was published in 1987,
but the identification that specimen was later changed to
Elysia sp. by the same author.
occurs in the
intertidal zone typically submerged on its algal prey between 1 and 5 meters below the surface.
Ecology
Elysia viridis feed on algae, primarily of the genus
Codium, with a noted favorability towards
C. fragile, C. sericea, and
C. rupestris has been found to be less selective of algal hosts than other members of
Elysia.
deposit coiled egg masses onto the thallus of its prey, or on nearby underwater surfaces, that hatch into a larval stage called a
veliger.
Veliger are planktotrophic and consume free floating unicellular algae.
Once the
propodeum develops on the larvae they search for a macroalgal host, contact with which appears to trigger a metamorphosis into the adult form, but the trigger for this metamorphosis is unconfirmed.
Kleptoplasty
Elysia viridis is most notable for its capability of performing
kleptoplasty, and maintaining a subcellular endosymbiotic relationship with
derived from the algae in the genus
Codium, most often
Codium fragile.
When consuming the
cytoplasm of the algae,
E. viridis is able to retain the
in a functional state; chloroplasts are
Phagocytosis, while digesting the other cytoplasmic contents are digested.
The captured chloroplasts (kleptoplasts) retain their ability to
Photosynthesis, the photosynthates of which can benefit the slug nutritionally.
Kleptoplasts can also be broken down and used as a pre-stored energy source in situations where the slug is deprived of food sources and light.
See also
External links
