WHATSTHATFISH
Sea slugs & snails

Lettuce Sea Slug

Elysia crispata

Also known as: Frilly Sea Slug, Lettuce Nudibranch, Lettuce Slug, Nudibranch, Sacoglossan, Sapsucking Slug, Sea Lettuce, Solar-powered Sea Slug

Adult
@fishx6 · Bonaire - Rappel, Caribbean Netherlands · November 20101 / 19
01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs, over vegetated areas, of clear water, shallow, coral and rocky reefs.

Opisthobranchia - Nudibranchs - Sea Slugs meaning "naked gills" are molluscs without a hard shell.
All opisthobranchs are hermaphrodites.
These beautiful slugs are usually brilliantly coloured and this in itself can act as a deterrent against predators. Some sea slugs secrete acid from stinging cells in their tentacles while others secrete acid from cells in their mantle.
Nudibranchs are slow moving, can swim or be propelled along either by muscular contraction or by millions of tiny hairs on the bottom of a fleshy 'foot', they have a voracious appetite and feed with a rasp like tongue.
Nudibranch lay their eggs in a ribbon effect on the sand, in different colours depending on species.

02

How to identify

Body shape
lettuce
Behaviour
pairssolitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Country only · 19
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs, over vegetated areas, of clear water, shallow, coral and rocky reefs.

04

Adult photos 19

05

Discussion 4

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4 comments

  • sapphire· 5 Feb 2015

    None of those work because you can add your own information

  • sapphire· 4 Feb 2015

    tell me where they are found what countries maybe more info.

  • fishx6Top Contributor· 5 Feb 2015

    Try this site, I am afraid we do not have a lot of information ourselves we are more about identification. They are common in Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean. They can be found in other colours, probably due to the habitat they are trying to blend in to, or to ward off predators! http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Elysia_crispata/ Hope this is helpful.

    Helpful
  • fishx6Top Contributor· 5 Feb 2015

    Try these sites for more indepth info http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/elyscris http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elysia_crispata

    Helpful
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Deep dive

Taxonomy

  1. familyElysiidae
  2. genusElysia
  3. speciesElysia crispata Mörch, 1863

SourcesWoRMSSea Slug Forum

06

More in the family

Sapsucking Slugs (Elysiidae)