-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Molluscs (Phylum Mollusca)

-Gastropods (Class Gastropoda)

-Heterobranchs (Subclass Heterobranchia)

-Infraclass Euthyneura

-Subterclass Tectipleura

-Sacoglossans (Superorder Sacoglossa)

-Superfamily -Plakobranchoidea

(Family Plakobranchidae)

-Elysias (Genus Elysia)

-Diomedes' Sapsucker (Elysia diomedea)

The Diomedes’ sapsucker (Elysia diomedea) is a small, delicate sea slug in the family Plakobranchidae, found in the eastern Pacific, particularly along the coast of Mexico and Central America. It has a flattened, leaf-like body with broad lateral flaps (parapodia) that are usually bright green to yellow-green, often accented with darker veins or spots, making it resemble a piece of algae. This coloration is not just camouflage: like other Elysia species, it feeds on algae and can retain their chloroplasts in its tissues, allowing it to photosynthesize for a time. Slow-moving and fragile, Elysia diomedea lives in shallow coastal habitats where its algal food grows, blending seamlessly into its surroundings while supplementing its diet with stolen sunlight.