1993/01/01 by Arnaldo Marín, Joandomènec Ros · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Marine Biology and Ecology Research #Mollusks and Parasites Studies #Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
paper · doi:10.1093/mollus/59.1.95
openalex publication_date 1993/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/16
Elysia timida is a common and endemic inhabitant of shallow and very well lit waters in the Mediterranean. This sacoglossan slug retains functional symbiotic chloroplasts derived from its algal food, Acetabularia acetabulum, although the chloroplasts are not transmitted in the spawn. After hatching and until day 12, Elysia timida juveniles do not retain these chloroplasts in the digestive gland. However, newly hatched juveniles retain chloroplasts from Cladophora dalmatica. Development varies seasonally between direct (December to April) and lecithotrophic (October, November and May), and this variation may be an adaptation to seasonal calcification of the algal food Acetabularia acetabulum.