Glaucus atlanticus Nudibranch with Physalia utriculus

This is a blue ocean slug (Glaucus atlanticus) approaching the venom-filled tentacles of a blue bottle (Physalia utriculus). Both were washed ashore as part of a mass, multi-day stranding of thousands of blue bottles, which are colonial siphonophores that are also called Portuguese man-of-wars. The nudibranchs are part of the rarely seen blue community of the open ocean. They prey on other animals in that community, such as Physalia utriculus, by-the-wind-sailors (Velella velella), blue buttons (Porpita porpita), and violet snails (Janthina janthina). Glaucus nudibranchs are immune to the venom of the blue bottles that they consume. They store their prey’s nematocysts and deploy them in specialized cnidosacs at the tips of their ornate cerata. Because these nudibranchs concentrate the venom of their prey, they can produce a more powerful sting than Physalia.

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Filename: glaucus-atlanticus-nudibranch-with-physalia-utriculus-tentacles-201711-1040.tif
Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication, reproduction or usage without prior written permission.
Image Size: 7787x5191 / 115.7MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Nudibranch Animalia Mollusca Gastropoda Opistrobranchia Nudibranchia Aeolidina Aeolidioidea Glaucidae Glauques atlanticus Blue Angel Blue Dragon Blue Glaucus Blue Ocean Slug Blue Sea Slug Sea Swallow Mollusk Opistobranch Rhinophore Sea Slug Siphonophore Cnidaria Hydrozoa Siphonophora Physaliidae Physalia utriculus Blue Bottle Indo-Pacific Portuguese Man-of-War Venomous Predation Atlantic Ocean South Africa
Contained in galleries: Marine Life | South Africa, Nudibranchs

This is a blue ocean slug (Glaucus atlanticus) approaching the venom-filled tentacles of a blue bottle (Physalia utriculus). Both were washed ashore as part of a mass, multi-day stranding of thousands of blue bottles, which are colonial siphonophores that are also called Portuguese man-of-wars. The nudibranchs are part of the rarely seen blue community of the open ocean. They prey on other animals in that community, such as Physalia utriculus, by-the-wind-sailors (Velella velella), blue buttons (Porpita porpita), and violet snails (Janthina janthina). Glaucus nudibranchs are immune to the venom of the blue bottles that they consume. They store their prey’s nematocysts and deploy them in specialized cnidosacs at the tips of their ornate cerata. Because these nudibranchs concentrate the venom of their prey, they can produce a more powerful sting than Physalia.