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Solar-Powered Sea Slug (Elysia Viridis)

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Solar-Powered Sea Slug (Elysia Viridis) MarLIN Marine Information Network Information on the species and habitats around the coasts and sea of the British Isles Solar-powered sea slug (Elysia viridis) MarLIN – Marine Life Information Network Marine Evidence–based Sensitivity Assessment (MarESA) Review Sonia Rowley 2006-09-19 A report from: The Marine Life Information Network, Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Please note. This MarESA report is a dated version of the online review. Please refer to the website for the most up-to-date version [https://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/2130]. All terms and the MarESA methodology are outlined on the website (https://www.marlin.ac.uk) This review can be cited as: Rowley, S.J. 2006. Elysia viridis Solar-powered sea slug. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. (eds) Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.17031/marlinsp.2130.1 The information (TEXT ONLY) provided by the Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own terms and conditions and they may or may not be available for reuse. Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available here. Based on a work at www.marlin.ac.uk (page left blank) Date: 2006-09-19 Solar-powered sea slug (Elysia viridis) - Marine Life Information Network See online review for distribution map Elysia viridis. Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Photographer: Sue Scott Biogeographic Information System (OBIS). To Copyright: Sue Scott interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas. Researched by Sonia Rowley Refereed by Admin Authority (Montagu, 1804) Other common - Synonyms - names Summary Description Elysia viridis has a delicate leaf-shaped body up to 5 cm in length which tapers posteriorly. This species is commonly vivid green, and occasionally bright red or brown. Tiny glistening red, blue or green spots are also present. Both body length and colour are determined by diet. White patches may be found on the edges of the projections of the foot (parapodium) and around the eyes, and black markings may sometimes be present on the head and body. The parapodium is broad, with lobed or frilled edges and extends almost the entire length of the body, containing visible green chloroplasts. Lateral parapodial "wings" may be outstretched or held over the body. The head bares conspicuous propodial tentacles and a pair of enrolled rhinophores that open ventrally and usually have white distal ends (anus present under right rhinophore). Digestive diverticula which contain ingested chloroplasts, ramify and can be visible through the surface of the body, parapodia and rhinophores. Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland This species probably distributed throughout the British Isles, although most records are from the western coats. Global distribution - https://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitats/detail/2130 3 Date: 2006-09-19 Solar-powered sea slug (Elysia viridis) - Marine Life Information Network Habitat This species can be found on the underside of macroalgal fronds in shallow water and rock pools. Elysia viridis feeds usually on Codium sp. or Cladophora sp. in European waters. Depth range - Identifying features Body up to 5 cm long. Commonly vivid green, occasionally bright red or brown. Tiny glistening red, blue or green spots. Enrolled rhinophores. Parapodia broad and extends most of body length. Lateral parapodial 'wings' outstretched or folded over dorsum. Additional information Elysia viridis is very similar to the sea hare in its soft winged body and colouration, although Elysia sp. is flatter with no oral tentacles. Elysia viridis is known as a 'sap-sucking slug' and feeds only on a single or limited food source (stenophagous). It ingests the chloroplasts unharmed and uses them for photosynthesis which benefit the slugs food supply (a process known as klepoplasty). Chloroplasts account for the colouration of the animal. This species has a 12-15 month life-span and is sexually mature when 1.2 cm in length. It produces benthic egg masses from April to October which hatch as planktonic veligers. This species may also tolerate low salinity levels. Listed by Further information sources Search on: NBN WoRMS https://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitats/detail/2130 4 Date: 2006-09-19 Solar-powered sea slug (Elysia viridis) - Marine Life Information Network Bibliography Allen, J.A. 1962. The fauna of the Clyde Sea area. Mollusca. Millport: Scottish Marine Biological Association. Bruce, J.R., Colman, J.S. & Jones, N.S., 1963. Marine fauna of the Isle of Man. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. Crothers, J.H. (ed.), 1966. Dale Fort Marine Fauna. London: Field Studies Council. Dipper, R., & Powell. A., 1984. Field guide to the water life of Britain. London: Reader's Digest Association Limited. Hayward, P., Nelson-Smith, T. & Shields, C. 1996. Collins pocket guide. Sea shore of Britain and northern Europe. London: HarperCollins. Hayward, P.J. & Ryland, J.S. (ed.) 1995b. Handbook of the marine fauna of North-West Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Howson, C.M. & Picton, B.E., 1997. The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas. Belfast: Ulster Museum. [Ulster Museum publication, no. 276.] Jensen, K.R., 1989. Learning as a factor in diet selection by Elysia viridis (Montagu) (Opisthobranchia). Journal of Molluscan Studies, 55, 79-88. JNCC (Joint Nature Conservation Committee), 1999. Marine Environment Resource Mapping And Information Database (MERMAID): Marine Nature Conservation Review Survey Database. [on-line] http://www.jncc.gov.uk/mermaid Thompson, T. E. & Brown, G. H., 1976. British Opisthobranch Molluscs. London: Academic Press. [Synopses of the British Fauna, no. 8.] Trowbridge, C.D., 2000. The missing links: larval and post-larval development of the ascoglossan opisthobranch Elysia viridis. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 80(6), 1087-1094. Datasets Centre for Environmental Data and Recording, 2018. Ulster Museum Marine Surveys of Northern Ireland Coastal Waters. Occurrence dataset https://www.nmni.com/CEDaR/CEDaR-Centre-for-Environmental-Data-and-Recording.aspx accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-25. Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland, 2018. Mollusc (marine) data for Great Britain and Ireland - restricted access. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/4bsawx accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25. Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland, 2018. Mollusc (marine) data for Great Britain and Ireland. Occurrence dataset: https://doi.org/10.15468/aurwcz accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-09-25. Fenwick, 2018. Aphotomarine. Occurrence dataset http://www.aphotomarine.com/index.html Accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-10-01 Kent Wildlife Trust, 2018. Kent Wildlife Trust Shoresearch Intertidal Survey 2004 onwards. Occurrence dataset: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/ accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-10-01. NBN (National Biodiversity Network) Atlas. Available from: https://www.nbnatlas.org. OBIS (Ocean Biogeographic Information System), 2019. Global map of species distribution using gridded data. Available from: Ocean Biogeographic Information System. www.iobis.org. Accessed: 2019-03-12 https://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitats/detail/2130 5.
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