Help Id'ing Earl

[stace11]

Hi,
I got this awesome hilarious little creature when I went after these Zoas. I have looked at over 300 pictures of Nudibranchs and he was not in one of them. Anybody know what he is offically called? I just call it cutey pie...

Any and all info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
Stacey

 

[LeslieH]

Plakobranchus ocellatus. It's a saccoglossan opistobranch rather than a nudibranch. It eats algae and sequesters chloroplasts from the algae in it's own body. When the body flaps are open you can see the green skin where the chloroplasts are stored. The chloroplasts continue to photosynthesize and produce sugars which are used by the Plakobranchus to supplement it's own feeding.

 

[stace11]

Thanks Leslie, I really really appreciate the info. I think I will stick to calling him cutey pie though, saccoglossan opistobranch is a big name for a little guy. More fun to watch than a barrel of monkeys.
-Stacey

 

[purplehaze]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9132478#post9132478 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LeslieH
Plakobranchus ocellatus. It's a saccoglossan opistobranch rather than a nudibranch. It eats algae and sequesters chloroplasts from the algae in it's own body. When the body flaps are open you can see the green skin where the chloroplasts are stored. The chloroplasts continue to photosynthesize and produce sugars which are used by the Plakobranchus to supplement it's own feeding.

How long can they survive without feeding?

 

[greenbean36191]

Probably a few weeks. Lots of sacoglossans steal chloroplasts, but they usually start to die within a week or so and if the slug isn't feeding on algae to replenish them then it runs out of gas.