2023-10-10 04:00:07
The incredible mangrove slug, known by the scientific name Elysia bangtawaensis, is a creature that resembles a starry sky and has the ability to photosynthesize. This fascinating mollusc lives in the mangrove forests and marshes of Asia (Asia is one of the five continents or part of the supercontinents Eurasia). or Afro-Eurasia of the…) of the South-East (The south-east is the direction halfway between the southern and eastern cardinal points. The south-east is…) and of Australia (The Australia (officially Commonwealth of Australia) is a country of…), and it is surprising.
Mangrove slugs (Elysia bangtawaensis) are simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning they have the sexual organs of both sexes.
Credit: Nick Volpe
These slugs feed on the contents of tiny algae cells. They use their seven to nine sharp teeth to pierce algae cells and suck out the chloroplasts. These cellular structures allow plants to transform sunlight (The Sun (Sol in Latin, Helios or Ήλιος in Greek) is the star…) into sugar (What we usually call sugar is, from 1406 , a “mild flavored substance…). Mangrove slugs use these chloroplasts for food, allowing them to survive without food for two to three months (Le mois (From lat. mensis “month”, and formerly plural “menses”) is a period of time…).
Chloroplasts also give these slugs a dark green color, which helps them blend into their environment. This makes them less visible to potential predators like crustaceans and birds. However, after a few months, the chloroplasts begin to shrink and the slugs turn a yellowish color. They must then feed on algae again to regain their green color.
In addition to their photosynthetic capabilities, these slugs are simultaneous hermaphrodites. To reproduce, two slugs embrace and insert their penises into each other’s vaginas. After mating, they lay strings of eggs up to 28 inches long, which hatch within a week into new mangrove slug larvae.
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#strange #animal #capable #photosynthesis