Ercolania subviridis (Baba, 1959)

Description

A small sacoglossan 5 mm in length. The rhinophores are very long, slender and simple, with only a trace of an outer longitudinal groove near the base; the foot corners are rounded. The cerata are long fusiform, arranged in about 12-13 oblique rows on the back margins (at least 2 papillae per row). Body yellowish white in ground colour, but almost everywhere marked by the ramifications of deep green liver diverticula showing through the transparent integument. The cerata are internally veined with deep green, and the outer surface of each ceras bears a number of deep green longitudinal lines running towards the tip. A red marking sits at about the anterior end of the pericardial prominence; the foot sole is deep green from the liver ramification.

Distribution

Type locality: Abugashima, Toyama Bay, Japan, on a green alga.

Etymology

The specific epithet subviridis (Latin sub-, "somewhat" + viridis, "green") refers to the somewhat-green colour effect produced by the liver diverticula showing through the integument.

Remarks

The original combination was Stiliger (Stiliger) subviridis, with the original describer treating the species provisionally as new. The species has subsequently been transferred to Ercolania.

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References

• Stiliger (Stiliger) subviridis BABA, n. sp. Usumidori-moumiushi (n. n.)., Baba K. (1959). THE FAMILY STILIGERIDAE FROM JAPAN (OPISTHOBRANCHIA-SACOGLOSSA). Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory. 7(3): 327-334. https://doi.org/10.5134/174635
• 高岡生物研究会. (2002). 日本海のウミウシ. 第2版.
• ミドリアマモウミウシ, 中野理枝. (2004). 本州のウミウシ. ラトルズ.
• Trowbridge C.D., Hirano Y.M., Hirano Y.J., Nishida K. & Sudo K. (2011). North-west Pacific sacoglossan guild associated with filamentous green algae (Family Cladophoraceae and Family Boodleaceae). Marine Biodiversity Records. 4: e67. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755267211000170
• ミドリアマモウミウシ？, 中野理枝. (2018). 日本のウミウシ. 文一総合出版.
• Stiliger sp. 2, Terrence Gosliner, Ángel Valdés and David Behrens. (2018). Nudibranch and Sea Slug Identification Indo-Pacific 2nd Edition. New World Pubns Inc.