Critter Intros: Sea Sheep

• Common Name: Sea Sheep (or Leaf Sheep)

• Scientific Name: Costasiella kuroshimae

• Conservation Status: Not Evaluated

• Habitat: Shallow tropical and subtropical coastal waters, typically found on green algae near coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific, including Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

• Size: Tiny, ranging from about 0.2 to 0.4 inches (5 to 10 millimeters) in length.

The sea sheep is an adorable species of sacoglossan sea slug that has gained internet fame for its uncanny resemblance to a cartoon sheep. This diminutive sea slug is one of the few animals in the world capable of indirectly performing photosynthesis. It achieves this through a process called kleptoplasty ("stolen plastids"), where it selectively feeds on the algae of the genus Avrainvillea, digests everything but the chloroplasts, and incorporates these solar-power structures into its own body. The bushy, leaflike protrusions on its back, called cerata, are where the stolen chloroplasts are stored, giving the slug its green color and allowing it to generate supplemental energy from sunlight. Its "ears" are actually rhinophores, sensory organs used to detect chemicals in the water. The sea sheep spends its life grazing on its food source, a true marvel of unique biological adaptation.

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