Beautiful And Rare "Blue Dragon" Washes Ashore In Australia
November 21, 2015 11:41 AM Subscribe
"Looks more like a Pokemon than a real animal, right? But the 'blue dragon" is quite real. It's actually named Glaucus atlanticus and is a small sea slug found in in tropical and temperate waters throughout the world. One recently washed ashore in Queensland, Australia."
Badass and beautiful. "After the sea slug has consumed the Portuguese Man o' War it "selects" the most venomous cells for its own use. The slug then incorporates these cells into its own tissues, and uses them as a defense mechanism."
More information, and a collected list of sightings, at this great website called "The Seaslug Forum."
Badass and beautiful. "After the sea slug has consumed the Portuguese Man o' War it "selects" the most venomous cells for its own use. The slug then incorporates these cells into its own tissues, and uses them as a defense mechanism."
More information, and a collected list of sightings, at this great website called "The Seaslug Forum."
Many years I found one of these on the beach in Hawaii when I was very young. I took it to a marine biology professor who identified it for me. All these years later, I still remember how it moved in the water and how weird it looked. I released it back into the ocean.
posted by Quaversalis at 11:44 AM on November 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Quaversalis at 11:44 AM on November 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
I would like one or more of these for my salt water tank that I haven't started building yet.
posted by rhizome at 11:54 AM on November 21, 2015
posted by rhizome at 11:54 AM on November 21, 2015
If this nudibranch had been as humble as MeFi's Own a humble nudibranch, then it might not have washed ashore. Stay safe out there, nudiibranches!Pride goeth before news coverage of your washing ashore, as the old saying goes.
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:02 PM on November 21, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:02 PM on November 21, 2015 [9 favorites]
Glaucus Atlanticus used ADORABILITY
It's very effective!
posted by Aya Hirano on the Astral Plane at 12:21 PM on November 21, 2015 [7 favorites]
It's very effective!
posted by Aya Hirano on the Astral Plane at 12:21 PM on November 21, 2015 [7 favorites]
To call it a slug seems rather undignified...
posted by JoeXIII007 at 12:50 PM on November 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by JoeXIII007 at 12:50 PM on November 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
Many years I found one of these on the beach in Hawaii when I was very young.
Now I'm jealous. Young me found a sea hare on the beach once which looked more or less like this. Nature was more disgusting than beautiful and wondrous.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:52 PM on November 21, 2015 [5 favorites]
Now I'm jealous. Young me found a sea hare on the beach once which looked more or less like this. Nature was more disgusting than beautiful and wondrous.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:52 PM on November 21, 2015 [5 favorites]
" It also concentrates the venom, making it far more venomous than the animal it "stole" the cells from." So, not only Australian, but super concentrated Australian poisonous? Yet so pretty. Why I am not surprised.
posted by jeribus at 1:36 PM on November 21, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by jeribus at 1:36 PM on November 21, 2015 [5 favorites]
If I'd been there, I would have firstly felt compelled to help it back into the water but then would have remembered, "Oh,....Australia!" and rightly assumed it was frighteningly poisonous.
Erm, yeah. Same as jeribus said.
posted by bonobothegreat at 1:55 PM on November 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Erm, yeah. Same as jeribus said.
posted by bonobothegreat at 1:55 PM on November 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Australia + sea + blue = no fucking way am I touching that.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 2:01 PM on November 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 2:01 PM on November 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
I live in Hawaii, and I just found one of these the other day!
I would NOT pick it up though (some social media posts included pictures of it in someone's hand). As the article states, they feed on Portuguese men'o'war and incorporate the stinging cells as their own.
posted by deadbilly at 2:43 PM on November 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
I would NOT pick it up though (some social media posts included pictures of it in someone's hand). As the article states, they feed on Portuguese men'o'war and incorporate the stinging cells as their own.
posted by deadbilly at 2:43 PM on November 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Stay away from pretty things in the water. Got it.
posted by rhizome at 2:59 PM on November 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 2:59 PM on November 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nudibranchs are stunningly beautiful. Such variety!
Some of my favorite sea critters! Who knew slugs could be so pretty?
posted by Feyala at 4:45 PM on November 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
Some of my favorite sea critters! Who knew slugs could be so pretty?
posted by Feyala at 4:45 PM on November 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
I think they're even pretty cool when they're not very colorful.
posted by deadbilly at 4:58 PM on November 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by deadbilly at 4:58 PM on November 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
I had no idea that these were rare. I had no idea what they were, and have always been bemused, bewildered and absolutely gobsmacked by how gorgeous - how stunning - they are - they wash ashore regularly at the Gold Coast near Brisbane - flotillas of 'em - the sand all along the waterline dotted with iridescent blue -
I....um... also had no idea that they've got a sting. So picking them up isn't a good idea. Right. Got it. Will stop doing that, then.
A bluebottle sting isn't the worst thing in the world, but interrupting a pre-breakfast swim for a date with a bottle of cortisone cream puts a real blah in your morning.
posted by tabubilgirl at 5:13 PM on November 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
I....um... also had no idea that they've got a sting. So picking them up isn't a good idea. Right. Got it. Will stop doing that, then.
A bluebottle sting isn't the worst thing in the world, but interrupting a pre-breakfast swim for a date with a bottle of cortisone cream puts a real blah in your morning.
posted by tabubilgirl at 5:13 PM on November 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
Great FPP and an amazing creature!
posted by en forme de poire at 8:03 PM on November 21, 2015
posted by en forme de poire at 8:03 PM on November 21, 2015
T
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 8:31 PM on November 21, 2015
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 8:31 PM on November 21, 2015
Nudibranchs are great fun, somehow more rewarding to find while diving than big stuff like turtles and manta rays. There is a FB group for fans of Nudibranchs:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nudibase/
having a daily feed of psychedelic slug photos makes a change from the usual lunch and baby noise
posted by illongruci at 5:47 AM on November 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nudibase/
having a daily feed of psychedelic slug photos makes a change from the usual lunch and baby noise
posted by illongruci at 5:47 AM on November 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
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