Behold the dazzling colors of the black-and-gold sapsucking slug (Cyerce nigricans). This sea slug secretes an unappetizing mucus to dissuade predators. When threatened, it can drop its colorful cerata, or leaf-like outgrowths, to create a distraction. This species is found in the western Indian and Pacific Oceans, where it dwells on coral or rocky reefs and snacks on algae.

Photo: profmollusc, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, iNaturalist

via amnhnyc


Image Description
A photo of a gold sapsucking slug. The animal is covered in leaf-like growths which are black with orange-yellow spots and trim of the same color.
0

If you have a fediverse account, you can quote this note from your own instance. Search https://mastodon.social/users/appassionato/statuses/115735067509955955 on your instance and quote it. (Note that quoting is not supported in Mastodon.)