Leaf Sheep is simply a grazer of algae, and sucks on so much of it that it can photosynthesize. By incorporating the chloroplasts of its favorite food into its own body through a process known as kleptoplasty. #science #sciencefacts #leafsheep #leafsheepslug #kleptoplasty #photosynthesis
This 💚🐑💚 is The Leaf Sheep Sea Slug. It was only discovered in 1993 in Japanese waters. They are amazing not just because they look like sheep but because they are capable of a physiological process called Kleptoplasty whereby they retain the chloroplasts from the algae they feed on. This means that they can indirectly perform photosynthesis! This beautiful image was captured by the amazing award winning underwater photographer and marine ecologist Dr Alexander Mustard MBE. @alexmustard1 #alexmustard
The lettuce sea slug is not a true nudibranch, but it is one in spirit. #lettuceseaslug #kleptoplasty #seaslug #uwphotography #uwmacro #bonaire
Sacoglossan slugs like this Costasiella ocellifera are frequently photosynthetic, they steal the chloroplasts from the food they eat, synthesize their own chlorophyll and produce fuel using light from the sun! #leafsheep #shaunthesheep #costasiellaocellifera #kleptoplasty #marinebiology #animalfact #underwaterphotography #nudibranch #sacoglossa
💥 The sea slug Elysia chlorotica, also known as the leaf sheep, steals chloroplasts from algae through kleptoplasty, incorporating them into its cells to photosynthesize. After eating brown algae, the slug retains intact chloroplasts, using photosynthesis products for food. It even steals algae genes to maintain this ability, making it the first animal to produce chlorophyll like a plant. 📷 Getty Image ⭕ University of South Florida #ElysiaChlorotica #LeafSheep #Kleptoplasty #Chloroplasts #Algae #Photosynthesis #VaucheriaLitorea #Chlorophyll #GeneTheft #LeafMimicry
𝘉𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢 (Trinchese, 1890) Minijaturni šašavac iz porodice Plakobranchidae, koja spada u skupinu Sacoglossa, kolokvijalno poznatu kao "solar-powered sea slugs". Ova vrsta dosegne veličinu do 1 cm, a naš nezadovoljni krastavčić pod lupom bio je tek 2 mm dug. Pretpostavljam da kada imaš sposobnost dobivanja energije iz kloroplasta koje ukradeš od algi, veličina nije toliko bitna. #marinebiology #opistobranchia #heterobranchia #Sacoglossa #plakobranchidae #boselliamimetica #seaslug #solarpoweredseaslug #croatia #pula #kleptoplasty
The Florida Leaf Sheep, Eyespot Costasiella (Costasiella ocellifera) is a Sacoglasson sea slug. Aka a sap-sucking slug. They feed on the green mermaid tail algae they are found on. Their green color in their cerata is the chloroplasts from the algae, and the chloroplasts remain photosynthetic, providing them fuel for up to 63 days! The term for this process is "Kleptoplasty." What a cute little thief, don't you think? @dadnails @ilovenudis @omsystem.cameras @backscattervideophoto @diveforcee #seaslugs #underwatermacro #om1 #miniflash #macrophotography #floridadiving #protectouroceans #invertebrates #kleptoplasty #photosynthesis
Dumb meme I made about leaf sheep. Leaf sheep are a type of marine slug that take the undigested chloroplasts from the algae they eat and use them to photosynthesize during a process called kleptoplasty. A variety of animals and protists exhibit this behavior, but my personal favorite is the C. kuroshimae because of its cute face (image taken from a copyright free website, taken by photographer Pascal van de Vendel). #science #sciencefacts #sciencememes #marinebiology #leafsheep #kleptoplasty #scienceeducation #meme
Kleptoplasty and autotomy are both great clutch words for scrabble/bananagrams but both of these fascinating adaptations occur within this sap-sucking slug, Elysia marginata. Kleptoplasty is when an organism is able to uptake plastids like mitochondria and chloroplasts and maintain their functionality. Elysia marginata eats algae but has specialized digestive cells throughout its body that preserve and maintain functioning chloroplasts from the algae they consume. The functioning chloroplasts continue to produce sugars from sunlight for the slug, making these slugs photosynthetic. Autotomy is when an organism can voluntarily remove parts of its body. Miraculously Elysia marginata is able to decapitate itself and grow a whole new body. It’s thought that this is a way to shed parasites. This slug may not be a true nudibranch but it is one special slug we can see right here in the Marianas and in many other tropical marine areas! This photo was taken November 5, 2023 at Laulau bay in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. #sapsuckingslug #seaslug #elysia #elysiamarginata #sacoglossa #saipan #marianasnature #marianaislands #micronesia #pacificocean #kleptoplasty #autotomy
Just been telling my #BIOL131 and #BIOL131Z kiddywinks about this beautiful little creature - he is the Eastern emerald elysia (Elysia chlorotica) and herein he is eating his tea, which is Vaucheria litorea, a member of the yellow-green algae (Xanthophyceae). He is indulging in a bit of kleptoplasty (chloroplast thievery) - he is sucking the chloroplasts out of the alga and then puts them on his head and down his back and uses them to generate ATP, NADPH and sugars at the expense of light until they burn out. They don’t last terribly long but it is a really cool bit of evolution and isn’t he handsome? Look at his ickle “ears”!!! Beautiful colour too. [image Copyright © 2015 Karen N. Pelletreau, used under licence CC BY SA 4.0] Eukarya > Metazoa > Mollusca > Gastropoda > Heterobranchia > Sacoglossa > Placobranchoidea > Placobrancidae Elysia chlorotica Gr. neut. prop. n. Ἠλῠ́σῐον (Ēlúsion), one of the Elysian Fields in Hades, home of the blessèd. N.L. fem. n. Elysia, she who is the colour of the Elysian Fields. Gr. fem. adj. χλωρά (chlorá), the verdant green of new spring growth. L. fem. suff. -tica [forms adjectives with a sense of being] N.L. fem. adj. chlorotica, being the verdant green of new spring growth “She who resembles the Elysian Fields and is the verdant green of new spring growth”. Eukarya > kingdom incertae sedis > Ochrophyta > Xanthophyceae > Vaucheriales > Vaucheriaceae Vaucheria litorea N.L. fem. n. vaucheria, she who is named for Vaucher [Jean Pierre Étienne Vaucher, 1763-1841, Swiss pastor and phycologist] L. neut. n. litus, a shore, a beach. L. fem. suff. -ea [forms adjectives pertaining to source] L. fem. adj. litorea, from a shore. “She who is named for Jean Pierre Étienne Vaucher and is from a shore”. #kleptoplasty #chloroplast #vaucheria #vaucherialitorea #elysia #elysiachlorotica #easternemeraldelysia #yellowgreenalgae #ochrophyta #xanthophyceae
Slug of the Day: Elysia marginata, a Plakobranchid, which is a sap sucking slug and feeds on green algae. Many species sequester live chloroplasts and keep them functional in their tissue, this is known as kleptoplasty. #seaslug #seaslugs #ilovenudis #elysia #elysiamarginata #sacoglossa #plakobranchidae #kleptoplasty #nikon #nikonphotography #seaandsea #seaandseaimaging #seaandsea_official #underwater #underwaterphotography #underwatermacrophotograpy #underwaterphotographers #underwateruae
Elysia sp. 12 (NSSI2), Anilao, Philippines. . This cute bunny-looking sea slug is an Elysia but there is no described species for it yet (it is Elysia species number 12 in Gosliner's Nudi & Sea Slug ID book - second edition). . Elysia are not nudibranchs but sacoglossan sea slugs and what makes them very special is that they are 'solar powered'. When they eat algae, they incorporate functioning chloroplasts into their bodies, which allows them to produce food through photosynthesis, just like plants. Cool critters! . #seaslug #opistobranch #sacoglossan #marinecritters #indopacific #philippines #anilao #underwaterworld #underwaterlife #sealife #macrophotography #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #underwaterphotography #underwatermacro #beautyinnature #greengrammers #invert_macro #naturelovers #oceanlovers #nudilovers #muckdiving #fotosub #seaandsea #nauticam #elysia #chloroplasts #solarpowered #kleptoplasty #ilovenudis
☀️ 🌱 🏭 Meet Shaun the Speep, the rockstar of the underwater world! Divers can't help but adore this charming slug, it just concentrated cuteness. But there is more than just appearance… This little critter has a secret superpower - Shaun is a solar-powered slug! Here's how scientist thinks Shaun works 🤓 : when it munches on some algae, something quite unusual happens during digestion, instead of breaking down those delicious green morsels completely, it sneakily swipes the chloroplasts from the algae cells and stashes them in its own slug-body. It's like a plant heist, which is why scientists call this incredible process "kleptoplasty" (the "klepto" part comes from the Greek word for "thief"). These stolen chloroplasts don't just give colour and sit there; they keep on working! They perform photosynthesis, turning sunlight into precious glucose. the big question is, how on earth do those chloroplasts keep on ticking for months in such an alien environment? It's a mystery worthy of a sci-fi movie! Some scientists think there might be a horizontal gene transfer going on. This means that Shaun might be swiping some genetic secrets from its algae meals to produce the proteins needed to keep the stolen chloroplasts in tip-top shape. So, in summary Shaun the Sheep - a slug that's part-thief, part-solar superhero, and all-around awesome! #shaunthesheep #nudibranch #photosynthesis #kleptoplasty #greenenergy #MarineWonders #oceanlife #scubaphoto #scubalife #underwaterphotography #underwaterphoto #nauticamhousings #macrophotography #underwatermacro #macro #inonstrobes #olympus #olympusomdem5mii #olympusunderwater #diving #padi #omsystem #inon #girlthatscuba #marinepixels #insiderdivers #Nadlembeh #water_of_our_world #underwatersociety #photoworkshop
I have been hunting for this gorgeous little sea slug for two years. Ercolania viridis is a sacoglasson sea slug that feeds on algae. It then uses the chloroplasts from the algae and become photosynthetic itself, in a process called "kleptoplasty." Measuring in at just 3mm, it really shows what an amazing world can be found in what most divers consider "fly over" territory. @ilovenudis @diveforcee #TG6 #seaslug #kleptoplasty #marinescience #underwaterphotography #macrophotography #supermacro
Another sneak peek to a new print in the making! A long-time personal favourite of mine : Elysia chlorotica. Similar to the leaf sheeps, these guys use the chloroplast in the algae they consume for photosynthesis (a process known as kleptoplasty). It's an added bonus that they look like a leaf! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - #nudibranch #seaslug #seaslugart #animalidentification #oceanart #scientificillustration #marinebiology #supportsmallbusiness #sluglife #digitalart #wildlifeart #walldecor #gastropod #scubadiving #scubaart #artposter #costasiellakuroshimae #saplingseaslug #leafnudibranch #cutenudibranch #cuteanimals #illustrated #illustrationartists #illustration #kleptoplasty #easternemeraldelysia #elysiachlorotica #photosynthesis
Read more: https://teensandfriendsunited.org/?page_id=6029 🌞🐚 Meet the "Solar-Powered Sea Slug" - Nature's Tiny Marvel! 🌿🌊 Discover the enchanting Green Elysia, a delicate leafy sea slug with vibrant iridescent spots. 🌈✨ Feeding on algae like Codium, it changes colors based on its diet - greens, browns, and rare oranges! Witness its captivating transformation! Its superpower? "Kleptoplasty" - stealing chloroplasts to photosynthesise like a plant for months! 🌿🌞 Find these wonders on rocky shores, look for algae-covered fronds, and admire their brilliance! Remember to return them gently to their homes. 🏖️🐌 📸 Photo & words by Ivan S Underwood. 📸 #solarpoweredseaslug #greenelysia #natures_marvels #kleptoplasty #discoverthemagic #lovefornature
Just returned from a weekend of diving with @lac.cardo from #dresseldiversbayahibe. True to his word we were really lucky to find a specimen of a blue lettuce #seaslug, scientifically #elysia (tridachia) #crispata (thanks Tom for spotting!). While strictly speaking it actually isn't a #nudibranch, it sure tries its best to look like one with all its #frills and by folding its frontal parapodia to resemble cephalic tentacles. Oh yeah and it literally is #solarpowered since it utilizes #kleptoplasty. #underwaterphotography #uwphotography #scubadiving #nature #wildlife #underwater #unterwasser #ocean #ozean #sea #aquatic #tropical #carribean #dominicanrepublic #scuba #diving #tauchen #marinelife #straightoutofcamera #sony #rx100v #nauticam
~ Amazing Photosynthesis of the Elysia chlorotica Sea Slug ~ The Elysia chlorotica sea slug is a marine gastropod that can perform photosynthesis. It belongs to the order Sacoglossa, which are sap-sucking sea slugs that feed on algae. The Elysia chlorotica sea slug prefers a yellow-green alga called Vaucheria litorea, which grows in shallow salt marshes and tidal pools. The Elysia chlorotica sea slug keeps the chloroplasts from the alga it eats and incorporates them into its own cells. The chloroplasts continue to produce sugars and oxygen from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. This process is called kleptoplasty, which means stealing plastids. The sea slug can keep these stolen chloroplasts for several months, even without eating more algae. This gives the sea slug an energy and nutrition boost. The Elysia chlorotica sea slug also acquires some genes from the alga through horizontal gene transfer. These genes are transferred from the algal nucleus to the sea slug nucleus. However, it is not clear how these genes work or help the sea slug with photosynthesis. The Elysia chlorotica sea slug is a very interesting and complex symbiosis between an animal and a plant that challenges our understanding. 🌿 Text credit: Earth Unreal Image Source: Patrick Krug >>>>> #elysiachlorotica #seaslug #photosynthesis #kleptoplasty #symbiosis #algae #chloroplasts #horizontalgenetransfer #marinebiology #nature #science #evolution #adaptation #green #solarpowered #ecology #biodiversity #animalplant #wondersofnature #educational
Senckenberg Museum! ➡️ Ich bin immernoch sprachlos! So große Dinosaurier (Bild2) und Urzeitelefanten (Bild1) so viele Tiere -zb ein Riesenfrosch - und andere Lebensformen Lebensformen 🤓 Wow! Ich wusste gar nicht wo soll ich schauen! Überall waren interessante Exponate! Ich durfte sogar in ein Tauchboot reinklettern! Mega stark! Leider sind die Bilder aus der Tiefsee Abteilung nicht gut geworden Aber dafür ein "Schäfchen ohne Wolle" - eine Blatt Schnecke, die durch klauen Chlorophyll herstellen kann, eine Kleptoplastin 😲🤩 neues Wort gelernt! 🤓 Am Ende ich könnte nicht alles sehen und hoomansis musste mir versprechen das wir wieder kommen werden! 😇 Danke hoomansis und hoomum ❤️❤️ @jarvis_the_bear i saw some very big dinosaur skeletts. I think IT IS good for #plushiewildlifewatchingclub #senckenbergmuseum #naturkundemuseum #dinos #tierplastik #tierpreparation #schäfchenschnecke #costasiellakuroshimae #nudibranch #kleptoplasty #dinosaur #dinosaurskeletons #forschungsuboot #newyorkzoologicalsociety #bathysphere #nationalgeographicsociety #termeszettudomanyimuzeum
These sea slugs are thieves! 👇 🌿 Of algae, that is. These Lettuce Sea Slugs (Elysia crispata) use kleptoplasty, which means as they eat algae, they "steal" the chloroplasts from the algae and incorporate them into their tissues to be able to use the products of photosynthesis like plants do. 🌞 🌞This is one reason why they are so green in appearance! They are one of the few animals that can use this unique form of pseudo-mixotrophy. 📷 Canon 60D #seaslug #kleptoplasty #nudipics #ilovenudis #canonusa #canon #uwphoto #underwaterphotography #uwphotography #marinelife #marinebiology #underwater #coral #coralreefs #reefing #oceanlover #photography #wildlifephotography #scubadiving #diving #naturephotography #animalfacts #sciencefacts #macrophotography #padi #asliceofsea #underthesea #science
First encounter with the adorable 🍀🐑 𝘊𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘬𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘦 (Leaf Sheep / “Shaun the Sheep”) 🔬5mm - <1cm 🍽️ Avrainvillea algae ————————————————————————————— 🍀 “you are what you eat” is a saying that’s true for a lot of nudibranchs / sea slugs. In this case, the Leaf Sheep retain the chloroplasts from the algae they graze on (a process called kleptoplasty) and undergo photosynthesis like the algae itself. #survivalofthegreediest . . . . . . . . #costasiellakuroshimae #leafsheep #shaunthesheepnudibranch #avrainvillea #kleptoplasty #nudibranch #marinelife #marinebiology #underthesea #underwaterphotography #scubadiving #uwmacro #vitaminesea #girlthatscuba #divinggirl #海蛞蝓 #海兔 #葉羊
Crimes, violences, avarice, passez du coté sombre du monde végétal avec l'édition spéciale de Faites Entrer Le Coupalgue sur la Kleptoplastie. Le billet tant attendue de la team Klepto est enfin disponible ! #blog #culturebiologique #biologie #etudiant #universitédepariscité #UElibre #studentlife #sciences #vulgariation #vulgarisationscientifique #kleptoplasty
Elysia viridis (Montagu, 1804) . . 📍Passetto, Ancona, Italy 🗓️February 19th 2023 . . 🇬🇧 Another specimen of sup-sucking seaslug, found at the Passetto beach in February. They're equipped with a sharp blade-like radula, used to pierce into greed algae and litterally suck all the contents. This capacity, make them able to conserve algae chloroplasts completely intact. 🐌🔪 ❇️ . . 🇮🇹Un altro esemplare di Elysia trovato sulla spiaggia del Passetto ad Ancona, nel Febbraio scorso. Esse presentano una radula simile ad uno stiletto affilato, con cui perforano le alghe verdi per poi succhiarne letteralmente il contenuto. Questa tecnica di alimentazione, sta proprio alla base della loro capacità di conservare i cloroplasti delle alghe di cui si nutrono, assolutamente intatti. 🐌🔪❇️ . . Shot with OLYMPUS TG-6 📸 . . #Animalia #Mollusca #Gastropoda #Heterobranchia #Sacoglossa #Plakobranchidae #Elysiaviridis #sapsuckingseaslug #seaslugofinstagram #seaslugs #kleptoplasty #tidepools #tidepooling #lovenature #coloursofnature #respectnature #preservebiodiversity #Mediterraneo #AdriaticSea #ConeroRiviera #ParcodelConero #Passettobeach #Ancona #Marche #wildAncona #wildMarche #underwaterphotography #underwatermacro #underwaterlife #olympustg6
Elysia viridis (Montagu, 1804) . 📍Passetto, Ancona, February 15th 2023 . . 🇬🇧 Another tiny specimen of Elysia, I've found among tide pools, at the Passetto beach in February. Like other sacoglossans, it shows an interesting feeding behavior, called "kleptoplasty", by which it's able to maintain alive the chloroplasts of digested algal cells, at least for some time. In this way the seaslug will be able to exploit the sugars produced by photosynthesis, by those "stolen" chloroplasts for a short period of time. 🐌❇️ . . 🇮🇹 Un altro piccolo esemplare di Elysia trovato nelle pozze di scogliera del Passetto il 15 Febbraio scorso. Come altri sacoglossi mostra un comportamento alimentare particolare, chiamato cleptoplastidia, tramite il quale é in grado di mantenere, vitali e funzionanti, i cloroplasti delle cellule algali di cui si nutre. Così sarà in grado di sfruttare i prodotti zuccherini della fotosintesi dei cloroplasti "rubati" alle alghe, facendo finta di essere un'alghetta. 🐌❇️ . . Shot with OLYMPUS TG-6 📸 . #Animalia #Mollusca #Gastropoda #Heterobranchia #Sacoglossa #Plakobranchidae #Elysia #Elysiaviridis #seaslug #seaslugsofinstagram #underwatermacrophotography #underwatermacro #underwaterworld #underwaterlife #underwaterphoto #lovethesea #respectthesea #lovenature #respectnature #preservebiodiversity #Adriaticsea #Mediterraneansea #wildAncona #wildMarche #wilditaly #olympustg6 #tidepools #marinebiology #kleptoplasty #marinebiodiversity
Elysia viridis (Montagu, 1804) . 📍Passetto, Ancona 15 Febbraio 2023 . . 🇮🇹 Un'altra specie di sacoglosso molto facile da incontrare nelle pozze di scogliera del Passetto, tra Febbraio e Marzo. Si nutre di alghe e presenta una colorazione variabile dal verdastro al marrone scuro con chiazze piú chiare e spettacolari macchioline iridescenti, che la fanno brillare sotto il flash della macchina fotografica. Dedicherò altri post a questo bellissimo eterobranco. 😍🐌 . . 🇬🇧 It's usually pretty easy to encounter this other sacoglossan species inside the tide pools of Passetto beach, betweeen February and March. It feeds on algae and shows a considerably variable colouration, ranging from greenish to dark brown. One special feature of this seaslug it's related to the presence of spectacular iridescent spots on its skin, that make it shine under the flashlight. I will dedicate other posts to this wonderful Heterobranch. 😍🐌 . Shot with OLYMPUS TG-6 📸 . . #Animalia #Mollusca #Gastropoda #Heterobranchia #Sacoglossa #Plakobranchidae #Elysiaviridis #seaslug #seaslugsofinstagram #sacoglossan #kleptoplasty #lumacadimare #Passettobeach #Ancona #Marche #Italy #wildAncona #wildMarche #wildItaly #Adriaticsea #MarAdriatico #Mediterraneo #underwaterphotography #underwaterlife #underwatermacro #underwaterworld #underwaterphoto #tidepools #winter2022 #olympustg6
Costasiella sp. (Probably C.kuroshimae). Costasiella aka "the leaf sheep" or, as most divers know it, "Shaun the sheep". Beside their extreme little cuteness (hardly reach 1cm in length), C.kuroshimae are capable of a process named #kleptoplasty, in which they retain the chloroplasts from the algae they feed on. Absorbing the chloroplasts from algae enables them to indirectly perform #photosynthesis. How about that? A slug that can photosynthesize without a simbiotic relationship with algae! Still one of my favorite macro animals to shoot. 😍 Nikon Z7 + FTZ + 105mm Nauticam SMC-1 Nauticam NA-Z7 2x Scubalamp D-Max Scubalamp PV32T #scuba #scubadiving #nature #wildlife #macro #macrophotography #supermacro #uwphotography #underwaterphotography #nikon #nikonphoto #nikonphotography #nikonz7 #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #picoftheday #photooftheday #nauticam #nauticamhousings #scubalamp #shaunthesheep #seaslug #nikonasia
Day 3 of 100 days of Sea Slugs This is Elysia. She likes eating her greens, doing head stands, and catching some rays, all of which contribute to her photosynthetic lifestyle. Eastern Emerald Elysia, 2023, 2.5" x 3.5", various pens and markers on bristol #100dayproject #100daysofslugs #artistsofinstagram #seaslugs #obligatevegetarians #kleptoplasty #photosythesizethis
📸 Un ANIMAL qui se nourrit de LUMIERE ?! 😱 L'image du jour sur Curieux! c'est une sacoglosse. Un drôle de nom pour un drôle d'animal : cette limace de mer est capable de kleptoplastie ! Kleptoplastie porte bien son nom : ce sont ce qu'on pourrait appeler des "voleurs de chloroplastes" 😅 Un bon exemple de "tu es ce que tu manges", puisque les chloroplastes des algues mangées par la limaces restent intacts, et continuent de faire la photosynthèse. Ainsi, ces limaces peuvent utiliser la lumière pour se nourrir. Les chloroplastes, grâce à l'énergie lumineuse, fabriquent du glucose, de la matière organique qui permet de nourrir la limace ! Crédits photo : Ian Boyd on Flickr #sacoglosse #sacoglossa #imagedujour #imageoftheday #limace #photosynthèse #kleptoplasty #chloroplaste #algue #insolite #funfact #lumière #énergie #manger #tuescequetumanges #pourtoi #curieux
The super cute Shaun the Sheep nudibranch is not only a pretty face😍 These adorable creatures are considered unique because they perform photosynthesis via kleptoplasty. That is by incorporating the chloroplasts from digested algae and then using these chloroplasts to carry out photosynthesis and provide food/energy for itself. So technically Shaun is solar powered😊☀️🔋💪🏻 #shaunthesheep #shaunthesheepnudibranch #solarenergy #scuba #scubatrip #liveaboarddiving #wonderfulindonesia #scubadiving #underwaterphotographygraphy #macrophotography #plongee #tauchen #natureisamazing #nudibranch #nudibranchs #photosynthesis #kleptoplasty #cutenessoverload
A unique green sea slug Eastern Emerald Elysia 🟢Elysia chlorotica (common name the eastern emerald elysia) is a small-to-medium-sized species of green sea slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusc. 🟢It is a member of the clade Sacoglossa, the sap-sucking sea slugs. 🟢Some members of this group use chloroplasts from the algae they eat for photosynthesis, a phenomenon known as kleptoplasty. 🟢Elysia chlorotica is one species of such "solar-powered sea slugs". It lives in a subcellular endosymbiotic relationship with chloroplasts of the marine heterokont alga Vaucheria litorea. #greenseaslug #greenseaslugfacts #greenseaslugsseria #easternemeraldelysia #elysia #elysiachlorotica #slugs #slugsofinstagram #slugsandsnails #sapsuckingslug #chlroplast #algae #kleptoplasty #photosynthesis #solarpoweredseaslug #solarpoweredseaslugs #symbiotic #endosymbiosis #marinealgae #agronomy #agronomylife #agronomyaustralia #marinebiology
A universal favourite; Costasiella kuroshimae, commonly referred to as the Leaf Sheep Slug! Its Pokémon-esque nature has made it a beloved find by recreational SCUBA divers and nerds alike. Though Costasiella is a sea slug, it is not what taxonomists consider to be a nudibranch, rather, it is a sacoglossan or ‘sap-sucking’ slug. It has a specialised radula, or tooth, that it uses to consume its prey (algae) and undergo a fascinating process called kleptoplasty. Costasiella, like other sacoglossans, has the unique ability to ‘steal’ chloroplasts from their prey and incorporate these organelles into their own tissue, allowing them, as a heterotroph, to photosynthesize. #atmec #lovewildlifefoundation #thaioceanacademy #dmcr #sacoglossan #costasiella #kleptoplasty
"Solar-powered leaves that crawl !" This description of photosynthetic sea slugs aptly describes the symbiotic association that occurs between certain molluscan sea slugs and algal chloroplasts, kleptoplasty being the very link of this symbiosis. Read more to find out about this extraordinary “embezzlement” of chloroplasts. Poster Credits: @pranshukumar2003 Link in Bio! #likesforlike #reach #goviral #newpost #posterdesign #post #feed #knowledge #instagood #instalike #instagram #instamood #instapost #following #kleptoplasty #VIT
There’s a difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs (and other classifications) in the animal kingdom. Autotrophs, known as “producers“ produce their own food, like plants. Heterotrophs consume their food, like animals. It is pretty rare an animal that is both a heterotroph and an autotroph. Cyanobacteria is the most common site of heterotrophic and autotrophic behaviour in a living organism. #leafslug #seaslug #seaslugs #leafsheep #leafsheepseaslug #seasheep #seasheeps #ocean #marinelife #animals #animal #bacteria #klepto #kleptoplasty #chloroplast #photosynthesis #plant #plants #autotroph #heterotroph #animalkingdom #japan #philippines #indonesia #green #fact #facts #interesting #facts💯 #factemporium Sources and References: Wikipedia: -Kleptoplasty Mindfood.com Manoa.hawaii.edu NationalGeographic.com Grade 9 Science
A tiny sea slug, I couldn’t possibly find it myself😁 This one has a Japanese name of ‘Neon Algae Sea Slug’ which is understandable looking at these growing lobes💫✨In these lobes, they keep chloroplasts from the algae they eat, then use it as their source of energy💪 Hence they are known as ‘Solar-powered sea slugs’. Clever, aren’t they?😉 Costasiella iridophora. 4mm. Special thanks to ひとみさん @plus_alpha_kumejima #photosynthesis #kleptoplasty #diving_photography #underwaterphotography #underwater #nudibranch #underwatermacrophotography #nudipics #seaslug #nudi #marinebiology #coralreef #okinawa #japan #uwphoto #blueplanet #olympustg6 #scubadiving #diving #shaunthesheep #tg6 #水中動画 #水中写真 #水中マクロ #スキューバダイビング #ウミウシ #ダイビング #沖縄 #久米島 #ネオンモウミウシ
A tiny, 5mm long Rabbit Sapsucking Slug (Costasiella usagi). These sea slugs are sometimes called Nudibranchs but they are in fact Sacoglossans or “solar-powered sea slugs”. The “solar-powered” reference relates to their diet where they suck out the cell contents (sap) of algae and transfer the chloroplasts to the cerata on their backs where they function as solar-powered energy generators – a unique process known as “kleptoplasty”. So – yes, these tiny critters are kleptomaniacs – “klepto” is derived from the Greek word for thief! . . . . . #marinescience #nature #naturephotography #ocean #reef #sea #seacreatures #underwaterphoto #underwaterphotography #uwphoto #uwphotography #beautiful #love #cute #exmouth #ningaloo #westernaustralia #slug #RabbitSapsuckingSlug #SapsuckingSlug #Costasiella #Costasiellausagi #kleptoplasty #sacoglossan
#مخلوقات ✿✿✿✿ حيوان #رخوي بحري صغير اسمه Elysia chlorotica/ إليسيا كلوروتيكا يظهر أعضاء هذا النوع على شكل #أوراق #خضراء واسعة متموجة برؤوس تشبه الحلزون. ✿✿✿✿✿✿ تستخدم #البلاستيدات_الخضراء من #الطحالب التي تتغذى عليها حيث تمتص محتويات الطحالب لكن تعزل بلاستيداته الخضراء فتخزنها داخل جهازها الهضمي الواسع. ثم تقوم بعد ذلك بامتصاص البلاستيدات الخضراء الحية من خلايا أمعاها #كعضيات أي انها تستطيع جعل البلاستيدات الخضراء جزءًا من محتواها الخلوي لذا تحافظ عليها كعضيات حيّة وفعالة لعدة أشهر،( تصل إلى 9 أشهر)_دون الحاجة إلى أي طعام_#لماذا؟ كي تستخدمها في عملية التمثيل الضوئي [( امتصاص ضوء الشمس لتحويل ثاني أكسيد الكربون إلى كربوهيدرات)]،تسمى العملية #kleptoplasty وكذلك كي تكسب جسمها اللون الأخضر الزمردي البارز وذلك خلال تخزين البلاستيدات الخضراء في قناتها الهضمية المتفرعة على نطاق واسع ✿✿✿✿✿✿ هل تتخيل أن حيوان رخوي يتمكن من اختطاف جينات "#طحالب Vaucheria litorea" ويستفيد منها في انتاج الطاقة وصبغ جسمه !! من الناحية البيولوجية ماتفعله #إليسيا_كلوروتيكا يوصف بأنه علاقة #تعايش داخلي #خلوي مع البلاستيدات الخضراء من هذا النوع من الطحالب البحرية... منقول من صفحة نقيض الجهل
📍Tulamben, Bali 📸 by @magnuslundgrenphotography . — SHAUN THE SHEEP NUDIBRANCH. This is a tiny "Shaun the sheep" look alike nudibranch (Costasiella usagi) on a coral reef in northern Bali, Indonesia. It is only 7 mm long and it loves to constantly graze on algae. It is unique as being one of very few organisms in the world that can perform photosynthesis through a process called kleptoplasty. This is the ability to incorporate the algae eaten to perform photosynthesis in the body and through this method provide food for the nudibranch. So it is often called a "solar powered" nudibranch! — Always dive safely and keep the ocean clean during your visit — Share your stunning underwater photos with #INDOUNDERWATER and #INDONESIAUNDERWATER to get featured 🐋🇮🇩 . — #shaun #shaunthesheep #sheep #wallace #gromit #nickpark #acloseshave #nudibranch #sacoglossa #photosynthesis #indonesia #bali #solar #solarpowered #kleptoplasty #algae #macro #supermacro #underwaterphotography #underwaterstrobes #nauticamhousings #SMC-1 #inon
A slug or is it a leaf? The slugs, Elysia chlorotica, which exist off the coast of the United States, can live for almost a year by surviving off sunlight and CO2 just like plants do. Experiments revealed this sea slug which starts out its life journey primarily eating algae, eventually evolves to survive mainly through photosynthesis and can live for nine months or more without traditional feeding. This is an example of kleptoplasty or chloroplastic symbiosis. #slug #photosynthesis #kleptoplasty #sun #sunlight #survival
Supermacro! Meet the miniature version of Shaun the Sheep while diving in Bali. Yes, they also exist in other areas within the coral triangle, but the shallow bay of Ames offers a lot of encounters. As long as you can spot these tiny fellows of no more than 5 mm. The following Yoeri wrote in his wonderful video clip with two of these snails with the scientific name, Costasiella kuroshimae, in episode VI of his series of "Take a Minute to Relax": "The Costasiella kuroshimae is a species of opisthobranch that is categorized as a sacoglossan sea slug, or sap-sucking slug, due to its feeding behaviour. They can be found “grazing” on algae leaves, which earned them the nickname “Leaf Sheep”. Although most people these days know this creature under the name “Shaun the Sheep”, due to the uncanny likeness in “facial” expressions to the famous TV animation character. It is its adorable likeness that makes them one of the most famous nudibranchs today. This big superstar can grow up to a whopping 5 mm in size! So in order to fully enjoy an encounter with this aquatic “Shaun the Sheep”, one is advised to bring a magnifying glass. Otherwise, one might be left with the same blank “Shaun the Sheep” expression on one’s face, when a dive guide points happily to a greenish speck on a leaf of algae. This tiny creature has the ability to extract the chloroplasts from the food it eats, and store them in its appendages, also known as cerata. This process is called kleptoplasty, and it enables “Shaun” to harvest/feed of the energy that is released by the photosynthesis of these accumulated chloroplasts. A pretty clever way to go about it, as you’re never really sure when the next meal will be!" More marine information and wonderful footage on our YouTube channel (link in bio). Subscribe for more ocean relaxation and information! Thank you and have a wonderful week! #macro #supermacro #underwater #diving #scubadiving #scuba #bali #amed #Indonesia #takeaminute #devotion #devocean #oceanschool #marinefacts #marineinfo #travel #unterwasser #nudi #slug #snail #shaunthesheep #shaun #Costasiella #costasiellakuroshimae #sapsuckingslug #muckdiving #algea #kleptoplasty #chloroplasts
Dinophysis is a type of harmful algae that produces toxins that can accumulate in shellfish and cause illness when consumed. Dinophysis wasn’t established in culture until 2006 (Park et al. 2006) due to its obligate mixotrophy that involves two levels of kleptoplastidy. Kleptoplastidy (or kleptoplasty) is a term used when plastids, in this case chloroplasts (photosynthetic organelles) are stolen from ingested prey and used by the consumer to produce their own food. In order for Dinophysis to acquire the plastid an intermediate plankton needs to perform its own kleptoplastidy. Mesodinium, a ciliate, consumes a cryptophyte of the Geminigera/Teleaulax species. It then steals that plastid along with the machinery to keep that plastid active and is able to replicate it. Dinophysis then consumes Mesodinium and steals the already stolen plastid, however has not been shown to be able to replicate it. Awesome! Figure description: Orange bubble-Cryptophyte Yellow bubble-Mesodinium Red bubble-Dinophysis Green portion represents the chloroplast. #plankton #dinophysis #kleptoplasty #ciliate #planktonfacts #HAB #harmfulalgae
The national symbol of ophistobranchs in Costa Rica, the not so close related to nudibranchs, plakobranchidae sacoglossa Elysia diomedea (Berg, 1894) As Sacoglossa algae is its main diet. Has the ability to ingest cellular contents of algae like chloroplast and used them to obtain energy -kleptoplasty- so its a solar powered sea slug 😮 It can grow big descriptions show 10 cm max. Its found usually in intertidal zones aprox. From 5 to 15 mts. #costarica #sacoglossa #plakobranchidae #opisthobranchs #kleptoplasty #elysiadiomedea #darwintoys #solarpoweredseaslugs #marinelife #tauchen #plongee #marinelifephotography #duiken #nudibranchswormsandseaslugs #seaslugs #animalisticbeauty #darwintoys #animalisticlabs #amazingadaptation #geneticpool #marinelife #underwaterphotography #underwaterworld #underwater_world #underwaterphotographer #underwaterphoto #underwaterpic #underwaterpics #underwatershots #uwphoto #scubadiverlife #uwphotography
做乜影一塊海底嘅葉？睇真啲🔍 佢唔係植物，係 #海蛞蝓 而且係好特別嘅一類 #海天牛 #Elysia 三四月海岸邊有好多綠色 #海藻 除咗直接吸取養分 #平鰓科 #plakobranchidae 有 #盜食質體 #kleptoplasty 行為 將 #葉綠體 傳輸至體背 當 #缺乏食物 進行 #光合作用 #自給自足 簡直就係 #流動 #太陽能板 #海洋世界 #奇妙 #hkwildlife #hkmarinelife #marinebiodiversity #nudibranch #nudibranchs #hkrms #hkmarinebiodiversity
As you can see, they have even adapted and evolved their body shape to be flatter so as to better absorb light…..just like a leaf. 🌿🌞 Its thieving behaviour even has a name: kleptoplasty. 🤨 It has only been found along the East coast of North America, in shallow water (necessary for getting sunlight), in salt and tidal marshes, pools and shallow creeks. 🌊 #seaslug #seaslugs #photosynthesis #kleptoplasty #marinebiology #elisiachlorotica #weirdcreatures #fantasticbeasts #biology #leafslug
Plastitler, bitkilerde ve bazı su yosunlarında bulunan çift zarlı organellerdir. Canlının enerji ihtiyacının karşılanması için besin üretilmesinde, besinin depolanmasında ve tozlaşma gibi olaylarda rol oynarlar. Örneğin fotosentez yapılarak besin üretilmesini ve depolanmasını sağlayan kloroplast ya da bitkilerde farklı renklere sebep olan pigmentleri depolayan kromoplast birer plastittir. Kleptoplasti ise bir canlının başka bir canlıyı tükettiğinde o canlıda bulunan bazı plastitleri bozulmadan bünyesine almasına denir. Kleptoplasti genellikle mikroskobik (mikroskop aracılığıyla görülebilen) ya da makroskobik (çıplak gözle görülebilen) bir su yosunuyla beslenen bazı canlıların bünyelerine kloroplastları alması yoluyla gerçekleşir. Örneğin sakoglossanlar olarak bilinen deniz salyangozlarının bazı türleri, makroskobik su yosunlarını yedikten sonra bu yosunların kloroplastlarını bağırsak hücrelerine dâhil eder. Su yosununun geri kalanını ise sindirirler. Sakoglossanlar bu kloroplastları 10 ay veya daha uzun süre bünyelerinde tutabilir. Yapılan araştırmalar, normalde fotosentez yapma özelliğine sahip olmayan sakoglossanların, kleptoplasti ile bünyelerine kattıkları kloroplastları besin kıtlığında fotosentez aracılığıyla besin üretmek için kullandığını gösteriyor. Sakoglossanların yanı sıra bazı deniz yassı solucanları, tek hücreli silliler, ateş rengi algler ve delikliler de kleptoplasti yapan canlılar arasında yer alır. Daha fazlası Bilim Genç'te... #canlı #biyoloji #doğa #fotosentez #enerji #kleptoplasti #kleptoplasty #denizsalyangozu #sakoglossan #suyosunu
Elysia viridis (Montagu, 1804) . . (11 Febbraio 2022) . 🇮🇹 Una lumachina davvero bella e interessante che vive nella zona intertidale, compresa cioé tra la porzione di costa che subisce l'escursione di marea. Presenta una colorazione verde scuro, punteggiato da un caleidoscopio di macchioline iridescenti e nella parte interna delle due "ali" del suo mantello, presenta una livrea verde foglia, dovuta alla clorofilla. Infatti, questo sacoglosso é in grado di "rubare" e mantenere per un po' i cloroplasti delle alghe di cui si nutre, secondo un comportamento chiamato "cleptoplastidia". I cloroplasti vengono mantenuti vitali all'interno delle sue cellule, le quali traggono beneficio dagli zuccheri prodotti tramite fotosintesi. Un po' come se fossimo in grado di mantenere i cloroplasti dell'insalata mangiata a pranzo e trasferirli dallo stomaco alla nostra pelle senza digerirli, per fare la fotosintesi quando prendiamo il sole. Sinceramente un po' le invidio questo superpotere... 😂😯🐌✳️ . . 🇬🇧 This wonderful and interesting sea slug it's commonly found in the intertidal zone (portion of coastlines affected by tidal excursion). It shows a dark green colouration, full of iridescent spots and a leafy-green extensible portion of its mantle, between two wing-like appendages. This bright green colour it's due to chlorophyll and in fact, this sacoglossan it's able to steal the chloroplasts from the algae it usually eats, keep them alive inside its tissues and earn the sugar produced by photosynthesis, with a peculiar behavior called "kleptoplasty". Just like we were able to keep indigested the chloroplasts of our lunch salad, move them to our skin and photosynthesize while sunbathing on the beach. Sincerely I totally envy these slugs for their incredible superpower... 😂😯🐌✳️ . #Animalia #Mollusca #Gastropoda #Heterobranchia #Sacoglossa #Plakobranchidae #Elysiaviridis #seaslug #slugsofinstagram #seaslugsofinstagram #sacoglossan #sacoglosso #intertidal #tidepools #amongthetidepools #pozzedimarea #rockybeach #Passetto #wildAncona #wildMarche #Italy #winter2022 #marinebiology #kleptoplasty #cleptoplastidia #lovenature #natureisart #natureisawesome #animalsuperpowers
SHAUN THE SHEEP NUDIBRANCH. This is a tiny "Shaun the sheep" look alike nudibranch (Costasiella usagi) on a coral reef in northern Bali, Indonesia. It is only 7 mm long and it loves to constantly graze on algae. It is unique as being one of very few organisms in the world that can perform photosynthesis through a process called kleptoplasty. This is the ability to incorporate the algae eaten to perform photosynthesis in the body and through this method provide food for the nudibranch. So it is often called a "solar powered" nudibranch! #shaun #shaunthesheep #sheep #wallace #gromit #nickpark #acloseshave #nudibranch #sacoglossa #photosynthesis #indonesia #bali #solar #solarpowered #kleptoplasty #algae #macro #supermacro #underwaterphotography #underwaterstrobes #nauticamhousings #SMC-1 #inon #seaslug
《#汆來水世界》 第8集 海洋生物：#囊舌海蛞蝓 Sap-sucking Sea Slug 科學分類：囊舌類 𝙎𝙖𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙖 製作團隊 撰稿、主持、導演、剪接、監製： @josylai 校對、攝影、收音、場務、美指： @maxdives 場景：牛頭角公園 Ngau Tau Kok Park #海蛞蝓 #囊舌類 #Sacoglossa #ocean #sea #slug #marine #life #knowledge #sap #sucking #kleptoplasty #HongKong #香港
Nudis…!!!! #nudibranchsofinstagram #macro_kings #underwatermacro #cutenessoverload #kleptoplasty #shaunthesheep #biodiversity #coraltriangle #naturelovers #natureisamazing #nudibranch #fifty_shades_of_nature #fifty_shades_of_macro #macrounderwater #underwaterphotography #cuteanimals
Nature Immersive Learning Day 14- The Leaf ‘Sheep’ Oh mama, is this Shaun the Black Sheep? No wait, it’s green in colour, it lives in the sea, it’s a slug?! O.0”” Yea, it’s a type of sea slug. It consumes a lot of algae and it retains the chlorophyll. It is one of the rare few sea creatures that can photosynthesise. So they don’t need to eat to live anymore? They still need, it is probably a back-up plan if they run out of food. You can find them in the reefs off the coasts of Japan, Philippines and Indonesia. Since they are rare, are they facing extinction? It is unclear as not much research is done on them. OooooooooOoooooo (Image Credit: boredpanda.com) #funfacts #seaslug #leafslug #leafsheepseaslug #shaunthesheep #cutenessoverload #photosynthesis #notaplant #nature-photography #biodiversity #kleptoplasty #bioluminescence #nice #kidsofinstagram #likeit #followus
#TidePoolLife Plants don’t go looking for food. With their incredible ability to photosynthesize, they can stand in one place and eat sunlight. Animals move about, in different ways, seeking out plants, to eat them. These are among the rules that most life forms on Earth live by, except a few. Pictured here is Elysia hirasei, a sacoglossan sea slug, or, simply, a sap-sucking sea slug. Living off the cellular contents of algae is all right, but many species in the genus Elysia are ‘solar-powered’! They sequester living chloroplasts from the algae they feed on, and use them for photosynthesis themselves. Experiments on one species have shown that it can go without eating for over nine months. The phenomenon is aptly called kleptoplasty, for the slugs are using stolen chloroplasts. On your next visit to a rocky shore, look out for these sunbathers in shallow #tidepools. They are tiny (this individual is barely 14mm long), and camouflaged, but finding one is worth all the effort. Photo by Rizwan Mithawala (@rizwanmithawala) #SeaSlugs #SapSuckingSeaSlugs #SolarPowered #SolarPoweredSeaSlugs #Elysia #MarineLife #Gastropods #Photosynthesis #Evolution #Kleptoplasty #NaturalHistory #RockyShore #TidePool #Tide #Sea #Life #Marine #MarineSeries #SeaWater #IntertidalZone #Inhabitant #MarineHabitat #MarineDrive #MarineCreatures #Mumbai #ShoreWalk #MumbaiShoreWalk
Hey there, Instagram Science-fam! This past year has been quite an adventure with lots of bizarre looking critters, interesting animal behaviors, fascinating instrumentation, and more! ⚗️ 🔬 2021 was a dynamic year full of notable environmental work, exciting discoveries, resilience, and perseverance. It has been so wonderful to bring the #science we 💕love to your feed and to share our interest and passion for all things environmental with all of you. A massive ‘thank you’ to all of our followers, longstanding and brand-new, for sharing your curiosity, enthusiasm, and knowledge with us this year – we hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have! We’re looking forward to bringing you even more #environmentalscience action as we go into 2022! 🎉 🌊 Here are our nine most popular posts of 2021 – #dinoflagellate armor and modes of locomotion, #algaltoxins, #MoonSnail Madness, #algalblooms, thieving Mesodinium, a pair of freshwater Ceratium, and a very handsome copepod! There were so many well-loved posts that it was hard to choose just nine! 💥 🤔 Did your favorite post make it into our top nine? If it didn’t, which one(s) do you think are tip-top, cream of the crop? 📸Lyndsey Swanson, Robin Revelle, Stephanie Hess, Gabriela Hannach, Elizabeth Frame, and Julie Alaimo.
nuts_about_nature_ Nuts About Nature 🍃 OUR MOST LIKED NATURE PHOTO OF 2021 💫P H O T O by @itai_underwater_photography I N F O: Sea Sheep or Leaf Sheep Nudibranch (Costasiella sp. likely kuroshimae). This sea slug of reality-defying cuteness gets its green coloration from the algae it consumes. It then “steals” the chloroplasts and is able to perform its own photosynthesis! This image was taken off the coast of Tulamben, Bali, within the Coral Triangle. Go show them some Nuts About Nature Insta Love 💚 Help us to share the message that our world is beautiful and an intrinsic part of us! Please follow us and our hashtags! Selected & Posted by @kalebfriendphotography 🍃 #nuts_about_nature 🌳 #nuts_about_conservation Nuts Hub Owner Caroline @cowpi32 #itai_underwater_photography_nan #sheepnudibranch_nan #costasiella_nan NAN Moderators: @heathclix @aditya.sridhar @ostlundtobias @natashiaphoto @shepart.photo @ajoebowan #costasiella #sheepnudibranch #leafsheep #leafslug #leafsheepnudibranch #nudibranchsofinstagram #macro_kings #underwatermacro #cutenessoverload #kleptoplasty #shaunthesheep #biodiversity #coraltriangle #naturelovers #natureisamazing #nudibranch #fifty_shades_of_nature #fifty_shades_of_macro #macrounderwater #underwaterphotography #cuteanimals
Several green ribbon nudibranchs (aka lettuce sea slug) have arrived! Like the Costasiella kuroshimae we previously drawn, they are #kleptoplastic, meaning the organism can eat and use the algae’s photosynthetic organs to generate energy! Read more about this cool trick on Squidtoons. . . . . . . . . . #AcademicChatter #marinebiology #science #nudibranch #kleptoplasty #nature #sciart #PhDlife #ocean #sea #PhDChatter #marinelife #outreach #STEAM #STEM #Scicomm #research #biology #conservation
Tiny cutie nudi angel sheep grazing on algae 😍🥴🌱 #nudibranch #precious #myprecious #leafsheepseaslug #solarpoweredseaslug #kleptoplasty
Greetings, science fam! This cheeky #ciliate may look like an adorable, innocent little bumblebee 🐝 but don’t let it fool you- this ruby stunner is a THIEF! 😧 🔍Mesodinium rubrum is a #marineciliate common to #pugetsound that has become infamous in taxonomic circles for something called ‘organelle robbery.’ When this #protozoan captures a #photosynthetic snack (its favorite is a small, red flagellate called a ‘Cryptomonad’), it digests everything but the chloroplasts. Mesodinium will then use them in its own body temporarily to do #photosynthesis . Another name for this symbiotic phenomenon is ‘kleptoplasty.’ 💥 🔎We often see this #microscopic bandit in our samples, but only for a moment. The ring of #cilia about its middle enables it to jump 10-20 times its own body length in the blink of an eye. 😳 One moment you’re setting up for a gorgeous photo, the next you’ve got a blank frame. 🙄 Sneaky ciliate! 🧐 Do you know of any other microorganisms that engage in organelle robbery? 🔬 ✅ Be sure to stop by next week for some spooky scientific shenanigans and more #environmentalscience ! 📸 Gabriela Hannach #kcenvirolab #mesodiniumrubrum #mesodinium #kleptoplasty #endosymbiosis #organellerobbery #microphotography📷 #microphoto #microscopy #biolab #biology #marinebiologyshots #marinebiologistlife #marinebiology #oceanlife #salishsea
It’s adorable! I never imagined saying that about a slug 😄 He’s a cute lil plant slug 😍🪴🐌 “…The Avrainvillea is not only the sea slug's home, but also its source of nourishment. As a species of Sacoglossa, or "sap-sucking" sea slug, the leaf sheep grazes (much like its herbivorous namesake) on the algae, sucks its chloroplasts (structures within the algae’s cells that contain chlorophyll, a green photosynthetic pigment) and keeps them within the tissues of its cerata for up to 10 days, a process called kleptoplasty. Doing so allows the leaf sheep to supplement its diet through photosynthesis, which is generally known to be performed only by plants. This photosynthetic ability has earned the leaf sheep its title of "solar-powered sea slug". #leafsheep #leafsheepseaslug #shawnthesheep #shelllessmollusks #plantslug #kleptoplasty #solarpowered #solarpoweredseaslug
If you could steal someone’s skills, what would it be? Keep reading below! Underneath their funky green colored spikes, they have a special ability that has earned them the title of sap-sucking sea slugs. These Costasiella ocellifera practice kleptoplasty. Kleptoplasty is where they suck out and incorporate an algae’s plastids into their own bodies, which in turn allows them to become photosynthetic. Not a bad thing to have if you ask me. Photo: Wikipedia #waterlogged #waterloggedspinelesssunday #spinelesssunday #seaslug #klepto #kleptoplasty #spiky #green #white #sacoglossan #slug #slugs #oceanslug #invert #wildlife #macrophotography #macro #underwaterworld
Real life Pokémon Nuts About Nature 🍃 💫P H O T O by @itai_underwater_photography I N F O: Sea Sheep or Leaf Sheep Nudibranch (Costasiella sp. likely kuroshimae). This sea slug of reality-defying cuteness gets its green coloration from the algae it consumes. It then “steals” the chloroplasts and is able to perform its own photosynthesis! This image was taken off the coast of Tulamben, Bali, within the Coral Triangle. Go show them some Nuts About Nature Insta Love 💚 Help us to share the message that our world is beautiful and an intrinsic part of us! Please follow us and our hashtags! Selected & Posted by @kalebfriendphotography 🍃 #nuts_about_nature 🌳 #nuts_about_conservation Nuts Hub Owner Caroline @cowpi32 #itai_underwater_photography_nan #sheepnudibranch_nan #costasiella_nan NAN Moderators: @aditya.sridhar @heathclix @natashiaphoto @ostlundtobias @zac.babbitphotography #costasiella #sheepnudibranch #leafsheep #leafslug #leafsheepnudibranch #nudibranchsofinstagram #macro_kings #underwatermacro #cutenessoverload #kleptoplasty #shaunthesheep #biodiversity #coraltriangle #naturelovers #natureisamazing #nudibranch #fifty_shades_of_nature #fifty_shades_of_macro #macrounderwater #underwaterphotography #cuteanimals Reposted from @nuts_about_nature_
Nuts About Nature 🍃 💫P H O T O by @itai_underwater_photography I N F O: Sea Sheep or Leaf Sheep Nudibranch (Costasiella sp. likely kuroshimae). This sea slug of reality-defying cuteness gets its green coloration from the algae it consumes. It then “steals” the chloroplasts and is able to perform its own photosynthesis! This image was taken off the coast of Tulamben, Bali, within the Coral Triangle. Go show them some Nuts About Nature Insta Love 💚 Help us to share the message that our world is beautiful and an intrinsic part of us! Please follow us and our hashtags! Selected & Posted by @kalebfriendphotography 🍃 #nuts_about_nature 🌳 #nuts_about_conservation Nuts Hub Owner Caroline @cowpi32 #itai_underwater_photography_nan #sheepnudibranch_nan #costasiella_nan NAN Moderators: @aditya.sridhar @heathclix @natashiaphoto @ostlundtobias @zac.babbitphotography #costasiella #sheepnudibranch #leafsheep #leafslug #leafsheepnudibranch #nudibranchsofinstagram #macro_kings #underwatermacro #cutenessoverload #kleptoplasty #shaunthesheep #biodiversity #coraltriangle #naturelovers #natureisamazing #nudibranch #fifty_shades_of_nature #fifty_shades_of_macro #macrounderwater #underwaterphotography #cuteanimals
#next_w0rld #leafsheepseaslug #sea #ocean #photosynthesize #animals #kleptoplasty #costasiella #innovation #science #amazing #fact #facts #factz #sciencefacts #factsdaily
#ScienceFact Kleptoplastie: Eigentlich können vor allem Pflanzen, Algen und einige Bakterienarten aus Wasser, Kohlenstoffdioxid und Sonnenlicht organische Substanzen wie Glukose aufbauen. Diese Substanzen dienen anderen Lebewesen als Nahrung. Aber einige Tierarten haben einen Weg gefunden diesen physiologischen Prozess selbst durchzuführen. So die Blatt-Schaf-Schnecke — eine Meeresschnecke, die sich von Algen ernährt. Dabei verdaut sie den Großteil der Alge, nur die Chloroplasten also die Organellen, in denen Fotosynthese betrieben wird, werden von den Epithelzellen der Schnecke aufgenommen und somit in ihre Haut eingelagert. Sie verleihen der Blatt-Schaf-Schnecke nicht nur eine intensive grüne Färbung, sondern auch die Fähigkeit ohne zusätzliche Nahrung mehrere Monate zu überleben. #SolarSchnecke #selfsufficient #WTFevolution #Kleptoplasty #Evolution #Evolutionary #Wissenschaft #Science #Wisskomm #Sciencefluencer #Steminist #savvy? Image Credit: Jim Lynn
this is a photosynthetic sea slug - a #nudibranch that steals chloroplasts from algae making it solar powered known as #kleptoplasty :) I collected this lil one the marine invertebrates lab class at @scripps_ocean I was able to find it on a rocky reef (these nudis live at my favorite point break!) I also find nudibranchs on things that grow on the docks by my sailboat 💙 never know what you are going to find right in the backyard
Last of the USG brood. Came home about a year ago, and is starting to run out of steam. Good color, but getting small. #elysia #solarslug #seaslug #kleptoplasty #universitiesatshadygrove #sacoglossa
Ecosistema che vai... Lumaca che trovi! Oggi vi diamo il buongiorno con questa piccola amica "fluo" Molto speciale! 🐌💚 Qualcuno le ha addirittura soprannominate “ #lumache di mare a energia solare” perché come le piante, questi insoliti #animali, a cavallo tra flora e fauna, si servono della #fotosintesi clorofilliana per produrre sostanze organiche e quindi per sopravvivere. A una stranezza se ne aggiunge un’altra: questa specie di lumache verdi di #mare, non è nata con la #clorofilla in corpo ma la acquisisce durante il corso della propria vita, mangiando tantissime alghe! Le lumache di mare succhiano la #linfa dai filamenti delle alghe ma, invece di digerirle come tutti gli altri animali, trattengono nel loro corpo i cloroplasti presenti nei vegetali. All’interno di questi organuli, avviene il processo di fotosintesi che permette alle lumache di sopravvivere nutrendosi in alcuni periodi solo grazie alla #luce del sole. Questo insolito fenomeno è noto come #kleptoplasty. 🐌🍃💚
Scientists in Japan recently discovered that some species of sea slug can regrow their entire bodies from the head down! This incredible ability is only possible because of their ability to photosynthesise using stolen chloroplasts from their prey 🌊🐛🌿 #seaslugs #regeneration #kleptoplasty #invertebrates #photosynthesis #weirdscience Link to article via link in bio ⬆️
Head Over Hearts Lizards shedding and re-growing their tails are probably the best-known examples of impressive regeneration in animals, but other species take autotomy, the voluntary loss of body parts, to an extraordinary extreme. Sea slugs Elysia cf. marginata (shown here) and E. atroviridis can separate their heads from the rest of their body, including their heart, and not only survive, but regenerate a complete body from the head section: feeding within hours, regrowing a heart within a week, and fully regenerating around three weeks after the break. Their diet may hold the key to surviving without major internal organs, as the sea slugs perform kleptoplasty, taking up chloroplasts from the algae they eat into their own tissues, to provide them with energy through photosynthesis. Why they undergo this traumatic process is still unclear, but it could be a means of shedding internal parasites – a radical response that reveals new champions of regeneration. Written by Emmanuelle Briolat Video by Sayaka Mitoh Nara Women’s University, Kitauoya-nishi, Nara, Japan Video copyright held by the original authors Research by Sayaka Mitoh and Yoichi Yusa published in Current Biology, March 2021 @currentbiology You can also follow BPoD on Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook #science #biomedicine #kleptoplasty #tissueregeneration #photosynthesis #seaslugs #couldntmakeitup
𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 ? 🤔 • Costasiella kuroshimae is also known as a "leaf slug" or "leaf sheep" or "salty ocean caterpillar". • They range in size from 5 millimetres (0.20 in) to 1 centimetre (0.39 in) in length. • They have two dark eyes and two rhinophores that emerge from the tops of their heads • The rhinophores have fine hairs that sense chemicals in the water, enabling them to find food sources. • They are capable of a chemical process called kleptoplasty, in which they retain chloroplasts from the algae they feed on. • They absorbs chloroplasts from algae then indirectly performing photosynthesis. www.vidyantra.com #vidyantra #vidyantra_live #doyouknow #science #seaslug #leafsheep #leafslug #costasiellakuroshimae #facts #didyouknow #sea #aquaticlife #kleptoplasty #photosynthesis
#Repost @greenme_it #inrepostme @insaver.best —— Qualcuno le ha addirittura soprannominate “ #lumache di mare a energia solare” perché come le piante, questi insoliti #animali, a cavallo tra flora e fauna, si servono della #fotosintesi clorofilliana per produrre sostanze organiche e quindi per sopravvivere. A una stranezza se ne aggiunge un’altra: questa specie di lumache verdi di #mare, non è nata con la #clorofilla in corpo ma la acquisisce durante il corso della propria vita, mangiando tantissime alghe! Le lumache di mare succhiano la #linfa dai filamenti delle alghe ma, invece di digerirle come tutti gli altri animali, trattengono nel loro corpo i cloroplasti presenti nei vegetali. All’interno di questi organuli, avviene il processo di fotosintesi che permette alle lumache di sopravvivere nutrendosi in alcuni periodi solo grazie alla #luce del sole. Questo insolito fenomeno è noto come #kleptoplasty. La specie presente nel video di 🎥 @david_palfrey si chiama "Costasiella kuroshimae". Non è simpaticissima?🐌🍃💚 __ __ Algunos incluso los han apodado "caracoles marinos alimentados por energía solar" porque, al igual que las plantas, estos animales inusuales, cabalgan entre la flora y la fauna, utilizan la fotosíntesis de clorofila para producir sustancias orgánicas y, por lo tanto, para sobrevivir. Se agrega otra rareza: esta especie de caracoles marinos verdes no nacieron con #clorofila en el cuerpo sino que la adquiere durante el transcurso de su vida, ¡comiendo muchas algas! Los caracoles marinos chupan la #linfa de los filamentos de las algas pero, en lugar de digerirlos como todos los demás animales, retienen los cloroplastos presentes en las plantas en su cuerpo. Dentro de estos orgánulos se lleva a cabo el proceso de fotosíntesis que permite a los caracoles sobrevivir alimentándose en determinados periodos solo gracias a la #luz del sol. Este fenómeno inusual se conoce como #kleptoplastia. La especie que aparece en el video de 🎥 @ david_palfrey se llama "Costasiella kuroshimae". ¿No es ella muy agradable? 🐌🍃💚 ➡️ sigue @greenme_it #greenme #greenmeitalia #lumachedimare #seaslug #Costasiella #Costasiellakuroshimae
Qualcuno le ha addirittura soprannominate “ #lumache di mare a energia solare” perché come le piante, questi insoliti #animali, a cavallo tra flora e fauna, si servono della #fotosintesi clorofilliana per produrre sostanze organiche e quindi per sopravvivere. A una stranezza se ne aggiunge un’altra: questa specie di lumache verdi di #mare, non è nata con la #clorofilla in corpo ma la acquisisce durante il corso della propria vita, mangiando tantissime alghe! Le lumache di mare succhiano la #linfa dai filamenti delle alghe ma, invece di digerirle come tutti gli altri animali, trattengono nel loro corpo i cloroplasti presenti nei vegetali. All’interno di questi organuli, avviene il processo di fotosintesi che permette alle lumache di sopravvivere nutrendosi in alcuni periodi solo grazie alla #luce del sole. Questo insolito fenomeno è noto come #kleptoplasty. La specie presente nel video di 🎥 @david_palfrey si chiama "Costasiella kuroshimae". Non è simpaticissima?🐌🍃💚 . . ➡️ segui @greenme_it ********* #greenme #greenmeitalia #lumachedimare #seaslug #Costasiella #Costasiellakuroshimae #floraefauna #ibridi #fotosintesiclorofilliana #piantaoanimale #curiosità #animalicuriosi #curiositàanimali #weirdanimals
The head and body of this sea slug (Elysia cf. marginata), is way too far away from each other, but it's still nowhere near dead. In fact, it chose to detach its own head. The head can survive on its own for weeks and regrow a body. It can get nutrients through photosynthesis, a skill taken from the algae they eat. This is called kleptoplasty. The body can also continue living for months, though it can't seem to grow a new head. However, only the younger slugs can perform this extreme regeneration. The severed head of older slugs can only survive for 10 days, but let's not pretend that's unimpressive. More details: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/S0960-9822(21)00047-6.pdf . . . . #SeaSlugs #kleptoplasty #Regeneration #NoHeadNoProblem
#gotthe2021jitters Day 70(P) #bodyparts #transplants #regeneration #kleptoplasty #autotomy #seaslugs #mothernaturesmedicine #mothernaturerules