The ocean is the final frontier. It’s a vast, unexplored place which may be teeming with life we don’t know about… It’s a place of incredible diversity and one of the most beautiful ecosystems on our planet. As such, it is home to the most colorful, exotic creatures on Earth – sea slugs.
What are sea slugs?
Sea slugs are marine mollusks. Their name comes from the terrestrial slugs (obviously). In the past, they had shells, but then they lost them in the process of evolution.
Sea slugs are generally believed to be very colorful; however, most are partially translucent. Those that are colorful, are mostly dangerous, since they have toxic stinging shells meant to protect them from predator. Sea slugs might look harmless but they also have razor-sharp teeth known as radulas.
They use a pair of rhinophores for smelling. Their eyes are small and can be found at the base of each rhinophore and brain, or on a feathery structure on the back, that acts as their gills.
5 most beautiful sea slugs in the oceans
The leaf sheep: Often called a sea sheep, this slug is one of the cutest ones that you can come across. Known under the Latin name Costasiella kuroshimae, they are a relatively knew discovery for they’ve been first found only in 1993, close to the Japanese island of Kuroshima. It can be found in Indonesia and the Philippines, too. This sea slug has an entertaining look thanks to its physical resemblance to a tiny green sheep.
Varicose wart slug: The Latin name of this particular species, is Phyllidia rueppelli. Its size is up to 1.6” long, and its long oval body is mostly black, with white spots topped with bright yellow. These unique creatures can either be found in the Red Sea or in the Gulf of Oman. This sea slug feeds on various types of small marine creatures.
Nembrotha aurea: This funny looking species is found mainly in the west part of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. It is 1.2” long and has a soft yellow base colored body with dark marks, and brown, pinstripe-like lines that make it look like it’s wearing an old-fashihoned, striped shirt. This slug’s favorite diet are ascidians or sea squirts, small marine animals that look like colorful, perforated tubes attached to the coral reef.
The lettuce sea slug: Its Latin name is Elysia crispate. They usually live in the tropics, mostly in western parts of the Atlantic or the Caribbean waters. Their favorite food is algae though they are able to make their own food. These curious creatures come in a series of colors like green, yellow, blue, or pink. However, their resemblance to a heavily curled lettuce leaf, is undeniable.
Blue velvet headshield slug: The Latin name of this species is Chelidonura varians. They are primarily found in Indo-Pacific Region’s tropic reefs, in the shallow waters. They can grow up to 2.8’’ long, and they feed on marine flatworms. This slug is highly characteristical thanks to its deep, velvety black body, with thin lines of electric blue color. If you saw it in the seas from a distance and didn’t know what it is, you could confuse it for a child’s bathing suit. Interestingly, this species could also be considered as a headshield slug thanks to its pointed tails that split off, resembling a fork (one’s longer, though).
Final thoughts on the 5 most beautiful sea slugs in the oceans
Sea slugs are beautiful creatures. Their colors make them appear as though they’re from another planet. They’re so different from anything we ever see on earth that it’s hard to believe they exist in our oceans. But there’s more to these creatures than their beauty – they are an important part of the marine ecosystem. They feed on plants that would otherwise cause algae blooms.
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