| Nudibranchs or sea slugs are a kind of opithsobranch mollusc and vary greatly in size, shape, and color. This, specifically, is Glaucus atlanticus, which is actually usually found living on the bodies of the Portugese man-o-war and other similar colonial cnidarians (such as the by-the-wind sailor). The coloring and shape of the animal is such that it blends in well with its host's body. It actually feeds on the dangerous tentacles of its host, and the stinging cells get incorporated into the projections that come off of the body. As such, if you find one washed up on a beach, treat it with the same caution you would any cnidarian (including jellyfish, box jellies, and the man-o-war and their relatives). |
