Today I will be talking about the Glaucus atlanticus, also known as the Blue Dragon! Contrary to what its scientific name might imply, these animals are not only found in the Atlantic Ocean, but in the Pacific and Indian as well (where they are actually more common due to the warmer waters). These poisonous sea slugs (nudibranchs) float upside down on the surface tension of the water where they can stumble upon their preferred prey, the Portuguese Man O’War. They have the unique ability to incorporate their preys stinging cells into its body to use as a defense mechanism! Indeed these guys are mighty, but they are also very tiny reaching lengths of only 3 cm long! As is common for all nudibranchs, they are hermaphroditic possessing both male and female reproductive organs. However the caveat is they cannot fertilize their eggs on their own, so the pairs still must mate. Afterwards strings of eggs are produced that will either float through the water or stick to some nearby surface. The gestation period is unknown and their life spans are largely estimated from a month to a year. Due to their illusive, free floating nature not much is known about their conservation status or any threats posed to them. However they do pose one to humans as their incorporated poison can be on a magnitude greater than the prey it was consumed from because it has been concentrated. So it is always best to admire these animals from a distance. Even so, they are one of my favorite animals for their beauty!💙
Originally posted on 10 February 2019
(not my pictures)
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