Elysia flavipunctata M. Ichikawa, 1993

Description

Holotype 5 mm, paratypes 4-6 mm. Body colour dark green; the parapodial margins are either white or dotted with white. The lateral part of the foot is covered with white spots, while the sole is transparent. The whole body is dusted with minute yellow dots, which concentrate in a yellow area on the dorsal side of the head and in three characteristic large yellow marks along the anterior, median and posterior outer and inner parapodial margins. The parapodia touch each other at the yellow marks, forming funnels. The long, tapering rhinophores are unpigmented except for three transverse dark green stripes or dotted lines.

Distribution

Type locality: Yonehara, Ishigaki Island. Seven specimens were collected on the green algae Halimeda discoidea, H. macroloba and H. opuntia f. cordata; holotype NHMW 86003.

Etymology

The specific epithet flavipunctata derives from Latin flavus ("yellow") and punctata ("dotted"), referring to the characteristic yellow marks.

Remarks

Smaller or larger light spots are common in many species of Elysia. This species resembles E. yaeyamana in colour, but is separated by size, the three yellow marks and the transverse stripes on the rhinophores. E. tokarensis is distinguished by the black spots on the parapodia and by the black tips of the rhinophores.

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References

• Ichikawa M. (1993). Saccoglossa (Opisthobranchia) from the Ryukyu Islands. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory. 36(3): 119-139. https://doi.org/10.5134/176229
• ゴクラクミドリガイ属の1種 1, 小野篤司. (2004). 沖縄のウミウシ. ラトルズ.
• サンカクミドリガイ, 中野理枝. (2018). 日本のウミウシ. 文一総合出版.
• Elysia sp. 29, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2018). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific 2nd Edition. New World Pubns Inc.