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. 2022 Apr 20;14(5):313.
doi: 10.3390/d14050313. eCollection 2022 May.

Aposymbiotic Specimen of the Photosynthetic Sea Slug Elysia crispata

Paulo Cartaxana  1 , Diana Lopes  1 , Begoña Martinez  1 , Patrícia Martins  1 , Sónia Cruz  1
Affiliations

Aposymbiotic Specimen of the Photosynthetic Sea Slug Elysia crispata

Paulo Cartaxana et al. Diversity (Basel). .

Abstract

Elysia crispata is a sacoglossan sea slug that retains intracellular, functional chloroplasts stolen from their macroalgal food sources. Elysia crispata juveniles start feeding on the algae following metamorphosis, engulfing chloroplasts and turning green. In laboratory-reared animals, we report one juvenile "albino" specimen unable to retain chloroplasts. Within 6 weeks post-metamorphosis, the aposymbiotic sea slug was significantly smaller than its chloroplast-bearing siblings. This evidence highlights that chloroplast acquisition is required for the normal development of E. crispata.

Keywords: Sacoglossa; chloroplast; kleptoplasty; photosynthesis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of InterestThe authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The sacoglossan sea slug Elysia crispata with its exuberant lateral folds (parapodia). The green coloration is due to the presence of chlorophyll within functional chloroplasts stolen from its algal food sources.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The aposymbiotic juvenile of Elysia crispata (a,b). The specimen was unable to retain chloroplasts from its food source, the macroalga Bryopsis plumosa. The “albino” sea slug was significantly smaller than its kleptoplast-bearing siblings (c). Chloroplast acquisition is required for the normal development of E. crispata. Scale bar: 2 mm.
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