Lettuce Sea Slug [Elysia crispata]
Description
Elysia crispata, common name the lettuce sea slug, is a large and colorful species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk. This species is a member of the family Plakobranchidae. It is a tropical species which occurs in the Caribbean Sea, the Bahamas, Florida, Bermuda, and as far south as Brazil. It is typically found in shallow, clear water on coral reefs. The body is usually a brilliant green due to the presence of green chloroplasts from the alga Vaucheria litorea in the tissues of the animal. The edges of the animal's parapodia are ruffled, hence the specific name crispata which means 'curled' or 'frilled'.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Mollusks
Mollusca
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Gastropods
Gastropoda
|
| Order |
Cephalaspidea
Cephalaspidea
|
| Family |
Sap-sucking Slugs
Plakobranchidae
|
| Genus |
Elysia
Elysia
|