Elysia yaeyamana Baba, 1936

Description

Reaches 50-70 mm in length. The body is smooth, slender and limaciform. The rhinophores are rolled and situated at the antero-lateral corners of the head. The neck is long, and the body sides are expanded into two narrow mantle lobes. The foot is of the full length and width of the body, widened at the antero-lateral sides and narrowed behind. Nearly the whole body surface is green or brownish-green; the outer and inner surfaces of the mantle lobes are covered with paler or whitish mottles. The upper portions of the rhinophores are yellow and the mantle borders are tinged with orange-yellow.

Distribution

Type locality: Ishigaki-shima, Ryukyu Islands.

Etymology

The specific epithet yaeyamana is a toponymic adjective referring to the Yaeyama Islands of the southern Ryukyus, which include the type locality of Ishigaki-shima.

Remarks

Similar to Elysia viridis in body coloration, but externally distinguished by (1) yellow rhinophore tips and (2) the orange-yellow trim along the mantle-lobe edges.

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References

• Elysia yaeyamana, Baba K. (1936). Opisthobranchia Of The Ryukyu (Okinawa) Islands. Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University. 5(1): 1-50. https://doi.org/10.5109/22580
• Elysia (Elysia) yaeyamana BABA, 1936 Yaeyama-midorigai (n.n.), 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