Sea butterfly is a very beautiful gastropod species that roam the sea, and there are so many of them. Coming across one of these is such a sight because they float and swim freely in the marine territories. Since they are so pretty and unique, it is just right to learn more things about them. Feel free to find out more below.
1Appearance
A sea butterfly, regardless of the species, reaches a maximum size of 1 centimeter in length. There are so many different sea butterfly species out there, and they come in a wide range of gorgeous appearances. The shells of these tiny sea snails are bilaterally symmetric, and the shape can be coiled, globular, needle-like, triangular, and more. Along with that, a majority of them are mostly transparent in color. The main feature that earns this snail its name is its foot which takes the form of two wing-like lobes. These 8-centimeter wings are highly flexible, and they produce the clap and fling maneuver as the snails move. Sea butterflies float or swim freely through the ocean, traveling along with the currents. It uses its foot to propel through the sea with slow flapping movements, very gracefully.
2Feeding & Habitats
The information about their feeding is very little; however, we know that sea butterflies are herbivores. They feed on plankton, and they find their food by floating with their ventral side up. A sea butterfly captures its food by casting a mucous web that is around 5 centimeters wide. That is like more than 5 times larger than it own body but it helps it to trap tiny plankton. Should an intruder disturb it, it will just abandon that web and flap away.
These marine gastropods swim in open ocean, and they are pretty much everywhere in the world’s oceans. Their range is from the Arctic all the way to the Atlantic, thanks to their adaptability to a wide range of water temperatures. Sea butterflies are an important part of the marine ecosystem; hence another nickname “potato chip of the sea”. This is because they are a primary food source for various fish and marine animals.
3Reproduction
Sea butterflies are hermaphroditic so they possess both male and female reproductive organs. Males are smaller and they mature into females as they grow larger – this sexual system is known as protandric hermaphroditism. Just like their shells, their eggs are also transparent. These eggs are free-floating masses, and they will develop into adults.
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