Meet Elysia azorica, the Azores sap-sucking sea slug
October 11, 2023 7:45 AM Subscribe
Plunging into the crystalline blue waters off a Portuguese island, scuba divers searched the seafloor. A see-through, orange creature lurking below caught their attention. It turned out to be a new species ... The Azores sap-sucking sea slug is about a quarter-inch in size, researchers said. It has “bladelike teeth” and a “bright and translucent orange” body. Its digestive system is visible from the outside and looks like “a dark green pigment.” from See-through creature with ‘bladelike teeth’ found lurking in sea. It’s a new species
More about sacoglossans
More about sacoglossans
Wait—is this a new species, or just a species of which we were previously unaware? Because there is a big difference.
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:00 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:00 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
When in doubt you can safely assume the latter. Always.
posted by aramaic at 8:30 AM on October 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by aramaic at 8:30 AM on October 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
Can’t not hear “sap-sucking sea slug” in Yosemite Sam’s voice.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 9:24 AM on October 11, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by Horace Rumpole at 9:24 AM on October 11, 2023 [5 favorites]
Can’t not hear “sap-sucking sea slug” in Yosemite Sam’s voice.
Strange, it was Foghorn Leghorn's voice that I read it in. Both voices work, really.
I can't contribute much to the discussion other than I had a different species of sea slug living in my salt water aquarium for about a year or so. Behold the lettuce sea slug! These were by far the most interesting critter in my tank, and I had some interesting critters show up over the years. They steal chloroplasts from the plants they eat, incorporate them into their ruffly little bodies and use them to generate energy. When the bright lights went on in my tank, they'd buzz around, looking for the specific "weed" plant that I was trying to get rid of. Then after about 3 hours, they'd all cruise up to the top of the tank and stretch out to spend the rest of the light cycle as a cute solar collector. Sad note: the lettuce slugs were too effective at their job. I miss my friends.
There are also sea bunny slugs. I don't know much about them other than they make me squee whenever I see a picture of them.
posted by ensign_ricky at 10:56 AM on October 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
Strange, it was Foghorn Leghorn's voice that I read it in. Both voices work, really.
I can't contribute much to the discussion other than I had a different species of sea slug living in my salt water aquarium for about a year or so. Behold the lettuce sea slug! These were by far the most interesting critter in my tank, and I had some interesting critters show up over the years. They steal chloroplasts from the plants they eat, incorporate them into their ruffly little bodies and use them to generate energy. When the bright lights went on in my tank, they'd buzz around, looking for the specific "weed" plant that I was trying to get rid of. Then after about 3 hours, they'd all cruise up to the top of the tank and stretch out to spend the rest of the light cycle as a cute solar collector. Sad note: the lettuce slugs were too effective at their job. I miss my friends.
There are also sea bunny slugs. I don't know much about them other than they make me squee whenever I see a picture of them.
posted by ensign_ricky at 10:56 AM on October 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
I think the caption on that photo is the very first time I've seen "...in its native habitat" without trying to be funny.
posted by rhizome at 11:08 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 11:08 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
omg ADORABLE
posted by lapolla at 10:31 PM on October 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by lapolla at 10:31 PM on October 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by jacquilynne at 7:52 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]