General Description
Body shape slug-like with gill structures visible as multiple projections along the sides body. Pattern includes shades or colours of green and/or white. Animal up to 7 cm long.
Biology
This is the largest sap-sucking sea slug species (the sacoglossans) in the Bass Strait area. Individuals are often seen crawling over algae in deep intertidal rock pools and they can release a white viscid fluid discharge if disturbed or handled. They are often associated with the green alga Caulerpa vesiculifera, which the animals closely resemble in both colour and the arrangement of the cerata.
Distribution
Tropical and temperate Indo-Pacific, including New Zealand and Australia.
Habitat
On green seaweeds in shallow waters and tidal pools, to depth of 10 m.
More Information
-
Animal Type
-
Animal SubType
-
Brief Id
Green, cream and black bar across base of rhinophores, cerata with small white patch.
-
Maximum Size
7 cm
-
Habitats
-
Diet
Herbivore
-
Endemicity
-
Commercial
No
-
Conservation Statuses
DSE Advisory List: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Not listed
-
Depths
Shore (0-1 m), Shallow (1-30 m)
-
Water Column Locations
On or near seafloor
-
Taxon Name
-
Scientific Author
Baba, 1949
-
Common Name
Sap-sucking Sea Slug
-
Phylum
-
Subphylum
-
Superclass
-
Class
-
Subclass
-
Superorder
-
Order
-
Suborder
-
Superfamily
-
Family
-
Genus
-
Species Name
smaragdinus
