{"id":46305,"date":"2025-03-21T12:53:30","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T11:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/?page_id=46305"},"modified":"2025-03-21T18:08:20","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T17:08:20","slug":"elysia-azorica","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/guia\/sacoglossa\/plakobranchoidea\/elysia-azorica\/","title":{"rendered":"Elysia azorica"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Elysia azorica<\/em> Mart\u00edn-Herv\u00e1s, Carmona, Jensen, Krug, Vitale & Cervera, 2023<\/h3>\n

\"Elysia<\/div>
Elysia azorica @ Faial, Azores<\/em> by Manuel Malaquias<\/center><\/span>

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WoRMS Taxonomic Information<\/h3>
Current accepted name: Elysia azorica<\/em> Mart\u00edn-Herv\u00e1s, Carmona, K. R. Jensen, Krug, Vitale & Cervera, 2023<\/strong><\/div>

Current classification<\/h4>
Superdomain<\/th>Biota<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Kingdom<\/th>Animalia<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Phylum<\/th>Mollusca<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Class<\/th>Gastropoda<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Subclass<\/th>Heterobranchia<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Infraclass<\/th>Euthyneura<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Subterclass<\/th>Tectipleura<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Superorder<\/th>Sacoglossa<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Superfamily<\/th>Plakobranchoidea<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Family<\/th>Plakobranchidae<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Genus<\/th>Elysia<\/em><\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Species<\/th>Elysia azorica<\/em> Mart\u00edn-Herv\u00e1s, Carmona, K. R. Jensen, Krug, Vitale & Cervera, 2023<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/table>

Classification provided by the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). [1672917<\/a>]<\/p><\/div>Description
\n<\/strong>Body relatively short and wide. Adults with total length about 6 mm (Mart\u00edn-Herv\u00e1s 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 \u2018vessels\u2019 is visible. The foot sole is not distinctly demarcated and the posterior end of body is blunt-ended, with no apparent tail.<\/p>\n

Biology
\n<\/strong>Specimens used to describe the species were found in the infralittoral zone at 6 m depth. Its orange coloration is unique among Atlantic Elysia<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n

Etymology<\/strong><\/p>\n