Elysia azorica

Elysia azorica Martín-Hervás, Carmona, Jensen, Krug, Vitale & Cervera, 2023

Elysia azorica @ Faial, Azores by Manuel Malaquias

Description
Body relatively short and wide. Adults with total length about 6 mm (Martín-Hervás et al., 2024). Overall body coloration is orangish, with opaque white papillae on the edges of parapodia. Parapodia are large and extend to posterior end of body, with undulated edges. Some scattered white dots also present on head and sides of parapodia. Digestive gland visible through skin as a dark-green pigment. Small eyes located behind the rhinophores. Rhinophores relatively long, rolled and with the same color as the body. Pericardial zone small with bright white spots. No branching of dorsal ‘vessels’ is visible. The foot sole is not distinctly demarcated and the posterior end of body is blunt-ended, with no apparent tail.

Biology
Specimens used to describe the species were found in the infralittoral zone at 6 m depth. Its orange coloration is unique among Atlantic Elysia species, potentially serving a cryptic function in its habitat. The visibility of the digestive gland through the translucent body suggests a diet rich in green algae. The parapodia likely play a role in respiration, facilitating gas exchange through their thin epithelial layer.

Etymology

• Azorica. Refers to the collection site from which original specimens were found (Ihla do Faial, Azores) and is a Latin feminine adjective in gender agreement with the genus.

Distribution
So far this species is only known from the Azores (NE Atlantic), Praia de Porto Pim, Ihla do Faial. Further fieldwork is necessary to determine its distribution range and potential interactions with sympatric species. Mediterranean specimens currrently identified as Elysia flava (a Western Atlantic species) should be genetically compared to this new species.

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Bibliography

1246567 Elysia azorica 1 eunomia-revista-en-cultura-de-la-legalidad 50 creator asc 1 46305 https://opistobranquis.info/wp-content/plugins/zotpress/
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Malaquias, M., Calado, G., Padula, V., Villani, G., Cervera, J. L. (2009). Molluscan diversity in the North Atlantic Ocean: new records of opisthobranch gastropods from the Archipelago of the Azores. Marine Biodiversity, 2, e38.
Martín-Hervás, M. R., Carmona, L., Jensen, K. R., Krug, P. J., Vitale, F., Cervera, J. L. (2024). A global phylogeny of Elysia Risso, 1818 (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia): molecular systematic insights focusing on European taxa and description of a new species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 200(3), 670-689. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad086
Bibliography based on the works by Steve Long, 2006. Bibliography of Opisthobranchia 1554-2000 and Gary McDonald, 2009. Bibliographia Nudibranchia, with later updates from other resources.

Further reading

• World Register of Marine Species

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