Glaucus atlanticus

Glaucus atlanticus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Heterobranchia
Order:	Nudibranchia
Suborder:	Cladobranchia
Family:	Glaucidae
Genus:	Glaucus
Species:	G. atlanticus
Binomial name
	Glaucus atlanticus; Forster, 1777
Synonyms
	Doris radiata Gmelin, 1791 (synonym); Glaucus distichoicus d'Orbigny, 1837; Glaucus flagellum Blumenblach, 1803 (synonym); Glaucus hexapterigius Cuvier, 1805 (synonym); Glaucus lineatus Reinhardt & Bergh, 1864; Glaucus longicirrhus Reinhardt & Bergh, 1864;

Glaucus atlanticus (common names include the blue sea dragon, sea swallow, blue angel, blue glaucus, dragon slug, blue dragon, blue sea slug, and blue ocean slug) is a species of sea slug in the family Glaucidae.^[2]

These sea slugs live in the pelagic zone (open ocean), where they float upside-down by using the surface tension of the water to stay afloat. They are carried along by the winds and ocean currents. G. atlanticus makes use of countershading; the blue side of their bodies faces upwards, blending in with the blue of the water. The silver/grey side of the sea slug faces downwards, blending in with the sunlight reflecting on the ocean's surface when viewed from below the surface of the water.

G. atlanticus feeds on other pelagic creatures, including the Portuguese man o' war and other venomous siphonophores. This sea slug stores stinging nematocysts from the siphonophores within its own tissues as defence against predators. Humans handling the slug may receive a very painful and potentially dangerous sting.

^ Cite error: The named reference WoRMS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Lalli, C. M.; Gilmer, R. W. (1989). Pelagic snails: the biology of holoplanktonic gastropod mollusks. Stanford University Press. p. 224. ISBN 978-0-8047-1490-7.

[WoRMS-1] Cite error: The named reference WoRMS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[2] Lalli, C. M.; Gilmer, R. W. (1989). Pelagic snails: the biology of holoplanktonic gastropod mollusks. Stanford University Press. p. 224. ISBN 978-0-8047-1490-7.

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