Food Plants

Elysia timida feeding the green alga Acetabularia acetabulum – obs. pers. – Banyuls-sur-Mer : 07/2001; author Parent Géry

Papers describing food plants of Elysia species.  If a paper described a species eating something, then I included it.

Dionisio, G., Faleiro, F; Bilan, M; Rosa, Ines C.; Pimentel, M (2017) Impact of climate change on the ontogenetic, development of ‘solar-powered’ sea slugs. Marine Ecology Progress Series 578: 87-97 [F] [NH] [Cl]

Pierce, S.K., Curtis, N.E., Middlebrooks, M.L. (2015) Sacoglossan sea slugs make routine use of photosynthesis by a variety of species-specific adaptations. Invert. Biol. 134:103-115 [F] [HT] [Ch] [Cl] [Ti] [Vi]

Baumgartner, F.A., Pavia, H., Toth, G.B. (2014) Individual specialization to non-optimal hosts in a polyphagous marine invertebrate herbivore.  PLoS ONE, 9 (8), art. no. e102752 Abstract PDF [NH] [F] [Vi]

Baumgartner, F.A., Toth, G.B. (2014) Abundance and size distribution of the sacoglossan Elysia viridis on co-occurring algal hosts on the Swedish west coast. PLoS ONE, 9 (3), art. no. e92472, . Abstract PDF [Vi] [F] [NH]

Christa, G., Händeler, K., Schäberle, T.F., König, G.M., Wägele, H. (2014) Identification of sequestered chloroplasts in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic sacoglossan sea slugs (Mollusca, Gastropoda) Frontiers in Zoology, 11 (1), art. no. 15. Abstract PDF [F] [K]

Schmitt, V., Händeler, K., Gunkel, S., Escande, M.-L., Menzel, D., Gould, S.B., Martin, W.F., Wägele, H. (2014) Chloroplast incorporation and long-term photosynthetic performance through the life cycle in laboratory cultures of Elysia timida (sacoglossa, heterobranchia). Frontiers in Zoology, 11 (1), art. no. 5, . Abstract PDF [AQ] [F] [K] [Ti]

Middlebrooks, M.L., Bell, S.S., Curtis, N.E., Pierce, S.K. (2014) Atypical plant-herbivore association of algal food and a kleptoplastic sea slug (Elysia clarki) revealed by DNA barcoding and field surveys. Marine Biology, 161 (6), pp. 1429-1440.  Abstract [F] [K] [Cl]

Hernández-Almaraz, P., Méndez-Rodríguez, L., Zenteno-Savín, T., García-Domínguez, F., Vázquez-Botello, A., Serviere-Zaragoza, E. (2014) Metal mobility and bioaccumulation differences at lower trophic levels in marine ecosystems dominated by Sargassum species. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 94 (3), pp. 435-442. Abstract [F] [NH] [Di]

Akimoto, A., Hirano, Y.M., Sakai, A., Yusa, Y. (2014) Relative importance and interactive effects of photosynthesis and food in two solar-powered sea slugs. Marine Biology, 161 (5), pp. 1095-1102. Abstract [F] [K] [At] [Tr]

Costa, J., Giménez-Casalduero, F., Melo, R., Jesus, B. (2012) Colour morphotypes of Elysia timida (sacoglossa, gastropoda) are determined by light acclimation in food algae Aquatic Biology, 17 (1), pp. 81-89. PDF [F] [NH] [Ti]

Pelletreau, K.N., Worful, J.M., Sarver, K.E., Rumpho, M.E. (2012) Laboratory culturing of Elysia chlorotica reveals a shift from transient to permanent kleptoplasty Symbiosis, 58 (1-3), pp. 221-232. Page1 [AQ] [F] [K] [Ch]

Trowbridge, C.D., Hirano, Y.J., Hirano, Y.M. (2010) Sacoglossan opisthobranchs on Northwestern Pacific Shores: Stiliger berghi Baba, 1937, and Elysia sp. on filamentous red algae. Veliger, 51 (1-2), pp. 43-62. PDF [F] [NH] [Vi]

Baumgartner, F.A., Motti, C.A., De Nys, R., Paul, N.A. (2009) Feeding preferences and host associations of specialist marine herbivores align with quantitative variation in seaweed secondary metabolites. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 396, pp. 1-12. PDF [F] [NP] [To]

Händeler, K., Grzymbowski, Y.P., Krug, P.J., Wägele, H. (2009) Functional chloroplasts in metazoan cells – A unique evolutionary strategy in animal life. Frontiers in Zoology, 6 (1), art. no. 28. PDF [F] [K] [R]

Burfeind, D.D., Tibbetts, I.R., Udy, J.W. (2009) Grazing rates of Elysia tomentosa on native and introduced Caulerpa taxifolia. Hydrobiologia, 632 (1), pp. 355-358. PDF [BC] [F] [NH] [To]

Trowbridge, C.D., Little, C., Stirling, P., Farnham, W.F. (2008) Sacoglossan gastropods on native and introduced hosts in Lough Hyne, Ireland: Larval retention and population asynchrony? Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 88 (4), pp. 771-782. PDF [F] [NH] [Vi]

Van Alstyne, K.L. (2008) The distribution of DMSP in green macroalgae from northern New Zealand, eastern Australia and southern Tasmania. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 88 (4), pp. 799-805. PDF [F] [NP] [Ma]

Curtis, N.E., Pierce, S.K., Massey, S.E., Schwartz, J.A., Maugel, T.K. (2007) Newly metamorphosed Elysia clarki juveniles feed on and sequester chloroplasts from algal species different from those utilized by adult slugs. Marine Biology, 150 (5), pp. 797-806. PDF [F] [K] [Cl]

Pierce, S.K., Curtis, N.E., Massey, S.E., Bass, A.L., Karl, S.A., Finney, C.M. (2006) A morphological and molecular comparison between Elysia crispata and a new species of kleptoplastic sacoglossan sea slug (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia) from the Florida Keys, USA.  Molluscan Research, 26 (1), pp. 23-38. Abstract [F] [K] [NH] [Cr] [Cl]

Curtis, N.E., Massey, S.E., Pierce, S.K. (2006) The symbiotic chloroplasts in the sacoglossan Elysia clarki are from several algal species. Invertebrate Biology, 125 (4), pp. 336-345.HTML [F] [K] [Cl]

Albano, M., Pon, J.S., Obenat, S. (2006) Macrobenthos associated with Phyllochaetopterus socialis Claparède, 1870 aggregates in Mar del Plata harbour, Argentina [Macrozoobentos asociado a los agregados de Phyllochaetopterus socialis Claparède, 1870 en el puerto de Mar del Plata, Argentina]. Investigaciones Marinas, 34 (2), pp. 197-203. PDF (Spanish) [F] [NH] [Pa]

Cruz-Rivera, E., Paul, V.J. (2006) Feeding by coral reef mesograzers: Algae or cyanobacteria? Coral Reefs, 25 (4), pp. 617-627. Abstract [F] [NH] [Or] [Ru]

Becerro, M.A., Goetz, G., Paul, V.J., Scheuer, P.J. (2001) Chemical defenses of the sacoglossan mollusk Elysia rufescens and its host alga Bryopsis sp. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 27 (11), pp. 2287-2299. Abstract [F] [NP] [Ru]

Raven, J.A., Walker, D.I., Jansen, K.R., Handley, L.L., Scrimgeour, S.M., McInroy, S.G. (2001) What fraction of organic carbon in sacoglossans is obtained from photosynthesis by kleptoplastids? An investigation using the natural abundance of stable carbon isotopes.  Mar. Biol. 138: 537-545 [F] [Au] [Ex] [Ma] [Pu]

Thibaut, T., Meinesz, A., Amade, P., Charrier, S., De Angelis, K., Ierardi, S., Mangialajo, L., Melnick, J., Vidal, V. (2001) Elysia subornata (Mollusca) a potential control agent of the alga Caulerpa taxifolia (Chlorophyta) in the Mediterranean Sea. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 81 (3), pp. 497-504. Abstract [BC] [F] [NH] [Su]

Williams, S.I., Walker D.I. (1999) Mesoherbivore-macroalgal interactions: feeding ecology of sacoglossan sea slugs (Mollusca, Opisthobranchia) and their effects on food algae.  Oceanogr Mar Biol Annu Rev 37: 87-128 [F] [At] [Au] [Ca] [Ch] [Cr] [Di] [Ev] [Ex] [Fi] [Fu] [He] [Ma] [Or] [Pa] [Pu] [Se] [Su] [Ti] [Tu] [Vi] Excellent review of food sources

Trowbridge, C.D. (1998) Stenophagous, herbivorous sea slugs attack desiccation-prone, green algal hosts (Codium spp.): Indirect evidence of prey-stress models (PSMs)? Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 230 (1), pp. 31-53. Abstract [F] [NH] [Vi]

Jensen, K.R. (1993) Morphological adaptations and plasticity of radular teeth of the Sacoglossa (= Ascoglossa) (Mollusca: Opisthobranchia) in relation to their food plants. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 48 (2), pp. 135-155. Abstract [F] [NH] [Vi]

Hay, M.E., Pawlik, J.R., Duffy, E., Fenical, W. (1989) Use of ingested algal diterpenoids by Elysia halimedae Macnae (Opisthobranchia : Ascoglossa) as antipredator defenses. Oecologoa 81:418-427 [F] [NP] [Pu]

Thompson, T.E., Jarman, G.M. (1989) Nutrition of Tridachia crispata (Mörch) (sacoglossa). Journal of Molluscan Studies, 55 (2), pp. 239-244. Abstract [F] [NH] [Cr]

Paul, V.J. & van Alstyne, K.L. (1988) Use of ingested algal diterpenoids by Elysia halimedae Macnae (Opisthobranchia : Ascoglossa) as antipredator defenses.  J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 119: 15 [F] [NP] [Pu]

Brandley, B.K. (1984) Aspects of the ecology and physiology of Elysia cf. furvacauda ( Mollusca: Sacoglossa). Bulletin of Marine Science, 34 (2), pp. 207-219. Abstract [F] [K] [NH] [Fu]

Hinde, R. (1978) The metabolism of photosynthetically fixed carbon by isolated chloroplasts from Codium fragile (Chlorophyta: Siphonales) and by Elysia viridis (Mollusca: Sacoglossa).  Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 10 (3), pp. 329-342. Abstract [F] [K] [Vi]

Hinde, R., Smith, D.C. (1972) Persistence of Functional Chloroplasts in Elysia viridis (Opisthobranchia, Sacoglossa) Nat New Biol 239: 30-31 [F] [Vi]

Trench, R.K., Smith, D.C. (1970) Synthesis of pigments in symbiotic chloroplasts. Nature 227: 196 [F] [Cr]

One Comment

  1. Reply
    Budi May 13, 2015

    Very cool! We had a great time studying tipedool creatures last summer before and during our trip to the beach. We got to see a few species of sea slugs and my daughters found them fascinating. Thanks for the resources.

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