Elysia australis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elysia australis |
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| Drawing of Elysia australis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
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| (unranked): | |
| Superfamily: |
Plakobranchoidea
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| Family: |
Plakobranchidae
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| Genus: |
Elysia
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| Species: |
E. australis
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| Binomial name | |
| Elysia australis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1832)
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| Synonyms | |
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Actaeon australis Quoy & Gaimard, 1832 |
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Elysia australis is a fascinating type of sea slug. It's a small mollusc that lives in the ocean, belonging to a group called Gastropoda. Even though it looks a bit like a nudibranch, it's actually a different kind of sea slug called a sacoglossan. You can find this cool creature living along the coasts of Australia.
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What is Elysia australis?
Elysia australis is a type of sea slug, which is a soft-bodied mollusc. Think of it like a snail without a shell! These animals are part of a big group called Gastropoda, which also includes snails and slugs that live on land.
Sea Slugs: Nudibranchs vs. Sacoglossans
Many people confuse Elysia australis with nudibranchs. While both are types of sea slugs, they are different. Nudibranchs often have bright colors and fancy gills on their backs. Elysia australis is a sacoglossan, also known as a "sap-sucking sea slug." This means it has a special way of eating.
Amazing Appearance
Elysia australis is a small, slim sea slug. It usually grows to about 12 millimeters (less than half an inch) long, but some can reach up to 25 millimeters (about one inch).
Its body is mostly green, with patches of white and sometimes tiny black spots. This green color helps it blend in perfectly with its surroundings. It gets its color from the algae it eats!
Special Body Parts
This sea slug has some interesting features:
- Parapodia: These are wing-like flaps on its sides. They are outlined with a thin black line.
- Rhinophores: These are two dark, horn-like feelers on its head. They help the slug sense its environment.
- Black Mark: There's a clear black T-shaped mark right in front of and between its rhinophores.
- Tail Tip: The very tip of its tail is also black.
It's quite hard to spot Elysia australis in the wild. Its green color comes from tiny parts of the algae it eats, called chloroplasts. These chloroplasts stay active inside the slug's body, making the slug the same color as the algae it lives on. This amazing trick helps it hide from predators!
Where Does it Live?
You can find Elysia australis all around the coasts of Australia. It likes to live on rocky platforms near the shore, especially in shallow pools that are exposed at low tide.
What Does it Eat?
This sea slug is a vegetarian! It grazes on small algae that grow on the rocks. By eating algae, it not only gets its food but also takes in the chloroplasts that give it its camouflage.
