The eastern emerald elysia (Elysia chlorotica) can photosynthesize like a plant. By feeding on algae (Vaucheria litorea), it absorbs and stores chloroplasts in its cells, allowing it to convert sunlight into energy.
Some individuals can even go without eating for up to a year, surviving solely on sunlight.
This unique adaptation makes Elysia chlorotica one of nature’s most remarkable examples of life’s ingenuity. What’s more, the slug’s green hue, derived from its chloroplasts, doubles as a natural camouflage, helping it blend into its surroundings and evade predators.
Measuring up to 60 mm (2.6 inches), these sea slugs thrive in shallow waters like salt marshes and tidal pools, where sunlight is abundant. With its ability to harness solar power, Elysia chlorotica not only defies the boundaries between plants and animals but also offers exciting possibilities for understanding photosynthesis and energy efficiency.
Image: Patrick Krug /Scientific Data