Elysia obtusa Baba, 1938
Description
A small sacoglossan, 10-13 mm in length. The body is cylindrical and smooth, with the tail obtusely rounded behind. The parapodia are not wide and are separated in front and behind. Rhinophores are conical and auriculate. The pericardial prominence is elongate-oval, without a median constriction. The antero-lateral corners of the foot are obtusely angulated.The general body colour is yellow, somewhat deeper on the head, with the upper surface sparsely set with clusters of white dots. The parapodia are edged with white, with an olive hue shining through the surface integument.
Distribution
Type locality: Seto, Kii. Now recorded widely from across the Indo-West Pacific to the central Pacific.Etymology
The specific epithet obtusa (Latin: "blunt, rounded") refers to the rounded tail.Remarks
Like other sacoglossans, Elysia obtusa retains functional chloroplasts from its green-algal diet (kleptoplasty), accounting for the olive hue visible through the parapodia.References
- Elysia obtusa, Baba K. (1938). Opisthobranchia Of Kii, Middle Japan. Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University. 6(1): 1-19. https://doi.org/10.5109/22587
- オトメミドリガイ（新稱）, Baba K. (1949). Opisthobranchia of Sagami Bay collected by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan (相模湾産後鰓類図譜). Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo. 4+2+194+7 pp., pls. 1-50.
- Elysia (Elysia) obtusa BABA, 1938 Otome-midorigai, Baba K. (1957). THE SPECIES OF THE GENUS ELYSIA FROM JAPAN. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory. 6(1): 69-74. https://doi.org/10.5134/174573
- オトメミドリガイ, 高岡高等学校生物研究会(編). (1964). 富山湾産後鰓類図譜.
- 高岡生物研究会. (2002). 日本海のウミウシ. 第2版.
A Kindle field guide by the site author
Kimoto N. (2026). Sea Slugs of Japan & the Indo-Pacific, 2nd Edition.
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Photos of Elysia obtusa
Same Genus Nudibranchs
Similar Colors Nudibranchs
Academic Database
Sea slug observation data is available in international marine biodiversity databases.