Photo of Elysia expansa taken by Vishal Bhave at Ratnagiri, India (verified by Richard Willan)
Scientific Classification:
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumMollusca
ClassGastropoda
SubclassOpisthobranchia
OrderSacoglossa
FamilyPlakobranchidae
SpeciesElysia expansa

Information

This leaf-like sap sucker grows to 40 mm. It is vivid green overall. Its head is about one-eighth of its body. Its parapodia are massive, with very large openings between them and the summits of these openings have acute apices. The body is sparsely papillose. Like the body, the parapodial margin is sparsely papillose with the papillae there being particularly slender and never touching each other. The renal ridge is one-third the parapodial length. Black specks are present on the parapodia. Most importantly, there is a pale pink band at the parapodial margin edged with a narrow black line above and below.

Locality

India
Gujarat
Mar
Ratnagiri
Dec
 
Australia
Fremantle
Jan, Jun
 
Indonesia
Flores
Oct, Nov
 
Australia
Rottnest Island
Feb
 
Indonesia
Bima
Sep
 
Malaysia
Mantanani
Oct

Sample Photos of Elysia expansa

Photo by Vishal Bhave in Ratnagiri, India
Photo by Rory Ferguson in Flores, Indonesia
Photo by Rory Ferguson in Flores, Indonesia
Photo by Vishal Bhave in Ratnagiri, India