Lobed Sap-sucking Slug, Elysia lobata
When this tiny 12 mm (1/2″) sapsucker was first photographed we were unsure of its identification. It moved a bit like a bulbaeolidia alba, clicking its paradoda as it moved, but looked like a lighter version of the Elysia lobata that is described on Sea Slugs of Hawaii. So we contacted the experts, and Cory Pittman and Pauline Fiene confirmed the id: Elysia lobata. To confuse things more, it closely resembles the Elysia sp#2, so make sure there is no pinkish mark on the head. Juveniles have large spots and some can be quite a deep green in colour. This photo was taken in a shallow protected area on Maui’s North Shore.