Does this sea slug look like a tree, or a peacock, or a cartoon character? The species Costasiella kuroshimae is also called the leaf slug, leaf sheep, or salty ocean caterpillar. The species is most notable (to scientists) because of the unique way it harnesses plants. It eats them, but retains the chloroplasts in its cells to continue photosynthesis! This process is called kleptoplasty.
If you said it looks like a cartoon character, you're not alone. Another nickname for the leaf sheep is the Shaun the Sheep slug, because of the uncanny resemblance to the British cartoon character. Note the close-set eyes, the wide "nose," and the tentacles that look like ears (or sometimes horns). It looks rather charming, doesn't it?
Underwater photographer Alex Mustard took the picture at the top and tells us something else we didn't know about these slugs. They are hard to photograph because they are incredibly tiny, only 2-3 millimeters long, or about 1/16 of an inch! But photographers keep trying, because the slugs are just so cute. Continue reading to see more of these slugs.
-via Boing Boing