this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2024
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Costasiella kuroshimae

Costasiella kuroshimae—also known as a "leaf slug",[1] or "leaf sheep"[2]—is a species of sacoglossan sea slug. Costasiella kuroshimae are shell-less marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Costasiellidae.[3] Despite being animals they indirectly perform photosynthesis, via kleptoplasty.[4]

Just look at that little homie.

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Wish I could photosynthesize deeper-sadness

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

this little guys probably like "mmmmm, yum, the sun is extra nutritious today"

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

How do they do it? Did chloroplasts evolve in them independent from plants, or is it like mitohondria thing where it started as some kind of symbiosis?

[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

according to this article, its through kleptoplasty-- they eat algae and absorb the chloroplast of the algae into its own cells. the article claimed this is likely due to horizontal gene transfer from algae to sea slug of transcription factors necessary for the chloroplasts to function

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I wish I could steal plant organs and then incorporate them into my own body sicko-wistful

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 week ago

nods sagely in 40k ork sorta

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 week ago

That's so interesting! Thanks for sharing

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

They're dirty little thieves!

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 week ago

That lil guy looks just like a cartoon sheep, that's absolutely delightful

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 week ago
[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago

It's so pretty snom

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 week ago (1 children)

there are other species suspected of doing the same, I would bet goddamn money that green aphids are capable of it as well

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

IIRC there's is a type of salamander that does the same thing.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago

What a lovely creature, it's so cute! Suckin in the suns rays, munching some photons, truly a noble beast egg-dog

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago

Oh....my.....GOD! The middle ground for omnivores and vegans!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

So friggin cute!!! 🥺

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

nature's jus' wild, man

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Man. Life is incredible. Every now and then I read about some awesome creature doing something weird or different and I'm just like, damn...

Only the other day I found out lichen was a colony of fungus, plant and yeast and not just a single organism.