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The Solar-powered Sea Slugs

The king of the solar-powered slugs, Phyllodesmium longicirrum feeds on a green Sarcophyton leather coral. Photo by Janine Cairns-Michael

The sea slugs, or opisthobranchs are some of the most beautiful of all reef invertebrates. This large group of marine organisms consists of over a thousand species, with numerous new species being discovered every year. One of the most popular groups of slugs are the nudibranchs (Order Nudibranchia). These are some of the most spectacular invertebrates in the sea, with many sporting amazing chromatic attire. They also nourish themselves in a variety of different and interesting ways.

In this photo gallery we will look at some of the sea slugs of the genera Phestilla, Phyllodesmium, and Pteraeolidia. These interesting invertebrates exhibit unique food habits. They incorporate the symbiotic plant cells that live in their cnidarian prey to provide them with needed nutrients. The gallery includes photos of seven species (11 photos in total), along with detailed biological information on each of these.

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