Sea Slug Forum

[Skye]

Sea slugs are pretty cool. Some of them look amazing. They do some really interesting things like incorporate chloroplasts and cnidocytes from their food into their body. They also incorporate many chemicals, which makes them a source of pharmacologically active compounds. They must have alot of admirers because they have a great forum that I happened across recently.

 

http://www.seaslugforum.net/

 

If you have some free time there are some great pictures on there.

[Martin]

interesting things like incorporate chloroplasts and cnidocytes from their food into their body...

 

I had to check that out. Always thought it would be a good idea for animals to have green skin and get some extra energy by sun-bathing.

 

Your link led to

http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=solarpow

 

"Solar-powered sea slugs"

 

some others also evidently thought it was interesting, the thread has 15 comments, mostly by humans (didn't notice any comments by Sacoglossans)

[Skye]

It works out well if you are really lazy, if all you do is laze about in the sun then you don't even have to digest your own food. It takes lazy to another level. I like it. Most animals that do it are sessile, such as coral and clams. These guys are molluscs like slugs. They don't have shells either, and they live a similar life, moving around and rasping away food with their tongue.

 

When they travel about they leave a trail of slime even though they are under water. Other ones will follow these slime trails. Probably for food I guess, but maybe for sex. But they can release an alarm chemical, which persists for some time, and if others follow the slime trail and come across this alarm chemical they will turn around and travel as fast as a sea slug can.