Meet the leaf sheep, the cute little creature that’s capable of photosynthesis! It’s a type of sea slug that can be found in waters near Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia.
So, how are they able to photosynthesise? Leaf sheep (Costasiella kuroshimae) suck the sap from algae which contain chloroplasts, they’re then able to incorporate those stolen chloroplasts into their own cells. This is a process known as kleptoplasty, and it’s what allows them to produce their own food from light energy, just like plants do!
There’s another group of sea slugs that are slightly less cute (and fairly terrifying) but are also capable of photosynthesis… A little warning, things get slightly gruesome from here…
Certain species within the genus Elysia are able to detect when their bodies have been infected by parasites, so to stop the spread and ensure optimal health they do something slightly drastic and decapitate themselves! The bodies that are left behind contain vital organs, but they miraculously manage to survive thanks to their ability to put those stolen chloroplasts to use. Not only that, but they continue to photosynthesise and grow brand new bodies containing all vital organs within as little as 20 days!
This video by Bizarre Beasts explains more:
Image credit: Randi Ang
