Thuridilla Picta

Painted Elysia
Thuridilla Picta

A little ribbon of emerald, violet and rose, Thuridilla Picta is covered in fine lines that run along its body like brushstrokes on silk. Its folded side lobes curl elegantly around the back, edged with flashes of color that make this tiny sap-sucker look far more elaborate than its modest size suggests.

• Size: Up to 16 mm
• Range: Atlantic Ocean; including Bermuda, the Bahamas, Caribbean waters, the Gulf of Mexico and the western Atlantic coast
• Habitat / Depth: Shallow coastal waters, found on submerged vegetation and other benthic growth, typically from 0–3 m
• Diet: Feeds on algae and other marine plants by sucking out their cellular contents

Photo by Dan Schofield