Elysia crispata Mörch, 1863

Gutiérrez, Manuel Caballer, Ortea, Jesús, Rivero, Nelsy, Tucker, Gabriela Carias, Malaquias, Manuel António E. & Narciso, Samuel, 2015, The opisthobranch gastropods (Mollusca: Heterobranchia) from Venezuela: an annotated and illustrated inventory of species, Zootaxa 4034 (2), pp. 201-256 : 221

47. Elysia crispata Mörch, 1863

( Figure 3 F)

Material examined. TT, 1 spc., H = 23 mm, IVICCM000099. WYL, 1 spc., H = 23 mm, IVICCM000100. LMD, 1 spc., H = 30 mm, IVICCM000115. PPD, 1 spc., H = 7 mm, IVICCM000004. DCH, 3 spcs, H = 40–50 mm, IVICCM000106. DMR, 2 spcs, H = 25–85 mm, IVICCM0000010. PAM, 3 spcs, H = 20–30 mm, IVICCM000160. EYL, 2 spcs, H = 20–30 mm, ZMBN 84909. OLM, 6 spcs, ZMBN 84929. APV, 10 spcs, H = 15–26 mm, IVICCM000071. CBM, 15 spcs, H = 7–28 mm, NRC. CMM, 8 spcs, H = 7–22 mm, NRC. SLR, 22 spcs, H = 2–29 mm, NRC. CSM, 50 spcs, H = 4–31 mm, NRC. NPM, 3 spcs, H = 15–18 mm, NRC. APV, 7 spcs, H = 11–22 mm, NRC. PNM, 1 spc., PNC.

Ecology. Crawling on rocks on reef fringe and inside mangrove lagoons (0.5–1 m) on Thalassia spp. and mangrove roots.

Distribution. ABC Islands, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, St. Martin / St. Maarten, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, USA, Virgin Islands, Venezuela ( Marcus 1957; Marcus & Marcus 1960; Marcus & Marcus 1962; Marcus & Marcus 1970; Marcus & Hughes 1974; Marcus 1977; Thompson 1977; Gavagnin et al. 2000; Valdés et al. 2006. Dos Mosquises, Los Roques, South Island: Marcus & Marcus 1967a. Los Roques: Work 1969. Mochima: Gavagnin et al. 1996; 1997. Golfo de Cariaco, Sucre: Fernandez & Jimenez 2007).

Remarks. This species was abundant in all sampling sites both on reef and mangrove environments. According to Valdés et al. (2006) feeds upon Caulerpa sertularioides , but its diet likely encompasses a broader range of items since Caulerpa was not always present on the areas where the species was observed. Marcus & Marcus (1967a) record this species on the hard coral Acropora . Gavagnin et al. (1996; 1997) refer the presence of protective chemicals against sunlight in specimens from Mochima, Venezuela.

Figures

FIGURE 3. A, Phyllaplysia engeli. B, Stylocheilus striatus. C, Berthella agassizii. D, Lobiger souverbii. E, Oxynoe antillarum. F, Elysia crispata. G, Elysia ornata. H, Elysia flava. I, Elysia tuca. J, Elysia cauze. K, Cyerce habanensis. L, Ercolania fuscata. M, Placida verticilata. N, Costasiella nonatoi. Ο, Cylindrobulla beauii.