Elysia jibacoaensis Ortea, Caballer & Espinosa in Ortea, Moro, Caballer & Espinosa, 2011

Krug, Patrick J., Vendetti, Jann E. & Valdés, Ángel, 2016, Molecular and morphological systematics of Elysia Risso, 1818 (Heterobranchia: Sacoglossa) from the Caribbean region, Zootaxa 4148 (1), pp. 1-137 : 93-94

Elysia jibacoaensis Ortea, Caballer & Espinosa in Ortea, Moro, Caballer & Espinosa, 2011

(Not figured)

Elysia jibacoaensis Ortea, Caballer & Espinosa in Ortea, Moro, Caballer & Espinosa 2011: 203 –205, pls. 3–4 (Type locality: Playa de Jibacoa, Provincia Mayabeque, Cuba) — Ortea et al. 2013: 184, pl. 14, figs. A–B.

Type material. Elysia jibacoaensis— holotype at IESH (no catalogue number provided).

Material examined. No specimens available.

Live animal. According to Ortea et al. (2011) the live animals are very active and move around continuously by expanding the anterior border of the foot beyond the head and then retracting it. This species is unable to swim, but can hang from the water surface by bending the posterior end of the foot forward forming a black “V”-shape. According to Ortea et al. (2013) when resting, the animal flattens its body “opening the parapodia and shrugging back the rhinophores, or it flattens and rolls on itself as a spiral turn” [sentence of unclear meaning].

External anatomy. Summarized from Ortea et al. (2011, 2013): Color pale olive green with red dots regularly arranged all over body and foot sole, except for rhinophores. Sides of body with white dots and small white papillae. Head with a triangular white patch and red dots. Rhinophores with a vertical black line, a few light green papillae and a large white spot with orange tinges in center. Parapodia forming a large siphonal opening in center of body just behind pericardium and a smaller one posteriorly. Siphonal openings whitish, with round white spots alternating with black areas, and brownish-orange pigment. Parapodial margin thin, with a black marginal line and a fragmented submarginal orange line. Edges of parapodia ornamented with a row of transparent papillae, each one having a white granule inside. Pericardium oval with white and red spots and patches. Inner side of parapodia light green, also with white and red spots. There are only two large dorsal vessels (only visible in the preserved animals) that merge together near posterior end of body and have faint branches towards center of body.

Internal anatomy. Summarized from Ortea et al. (2011). Radula with 11 teeth, 4 in ascending limb (plus one in development) and 7 in descending limb. Ortea et al. (2011: pl. 4, fig. D) illustrated teeth as having an elongate, sharp cusp, with no denticles and a “V”-shaped housing depression. Ascus with 2-5 teeth forming a spiral or whorl. Penis not described.

Reproduction and development. No data available.

Host ecology. Elysia jibacoaensis may be associated with the green alga Penicillus (Ortea et al. 2013) .

Phylogenetic relationships. No data available.

Range. Cuba (Ortea et al. 2011); Guadeloupe (Ortea et al. 2013)

Remarks. The species description was based only on external and radular anatomy. Teeth were slightly curved, smooth and pointed, and were therefore distinct from other Penicillus -eaters ( E. papillosa , E. taino n. sp.), which have coarsely serrated teeth. This appears to be a distinct species, but we could not obtain specimens to verify its taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships.