Elysia australis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832)

Description

A small sacoglossan. The body is olive-green, delicately spotted with creamy yellow, with violet-tipped rhinophores and a violet border running along the edge of the mantle lobes. The species is small and its colour closely matches the green seaweed on which it rests, making it very inconspicuous in life. Several individuals are often found together on the same algal frond.

Distribution

Type locality: Sydney Harbour, Australia. The species is common around Sydney. At the time of the original description, it was known only from Sydney Harbour.

Etymology

The specific epithet australis is Latin for "southern", in reference to the species occurring in the southern hemisphere (Australia).

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References

• Actaeon australis n. sp., Quoy J.R.C. & Gaimard J.P. (1832-1834). Mollusques. In: Dumont d'Urville J. (ed.) Voyage de la corvette l'Astrolabe exécuté par ordre du Roi pendant les années 1826-1827-1828-1829, Zoologie. Tome 2, parts 1 (1832) & 2 (1833). J. Tastu, Paris.
• Elysia australis Q. & G., Allan J.K. (1947). Nudibranchia from the Clarence River Heads, north coast, New South Wales. Records of the Australian Museum, 21(8): 433-463, pls. xli-xliii and map. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.21.1947.561