• Source: Glaucus marginatus

Glaucus marginatus is a species of small, floating, blue sea slug; a pelagic (open-ocean) aeolid nudibranch; a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusc in the family Glaucidae. This species is closely related to Glaucus atlanticus, and is part of a species complex (Informal clade Marginatus) along with Glaucus bennettae, Glaucus thompsoni, and Glaucus mcfarlanei. Like Glaucus atlanticus, it is commonly known as a blue dragon.




Description


This nudibranch is dark blue, and in many ways it resembles a smaller version of Glaucus atlanticus. However, in this species the cerata are arranged in a single row in each arch.
While G. atlanticus is up to 3 centimetres (1.2 in) long, G. marginate is only about 1.3 centimetres (0.51 in) long, and its tail is shorter than its cousin. The species has a light and dark blue foot.




Distribution


This species is pelagic, and can be found in the Pacific Ocean.
While they do not usually inhabit coastal regions, hundreds of the creatures were observed washing up on one of the Sydney North Shore beaches, near Long Reef, in February 2021.




Habitat and behaviour


These small nudibranches float upside down on the surface tension in temperate and tropical seas. They eat colonial cnidarians such as the Portuguese man o' war (a.k.a. bluebottle, or Physalia utriculus), blue buttons (Porpita porpita), and the by-the-wind sailor (Velella velella).
The nudibranch has been observed to exhibit aggregation patterns. This is in response to prey such as Por. Pacifica. This makes it so that it is easier for the nudibranch to outnumber and attack its prey.




References






= Sources

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Bergh, L.S.R. (1860). Om Forekomsten af Neldefiim hos Mollusker. Vidensk. Meddel. Naturh. Foren. Kjöbenhavn, p. 309-331, pl. 8.
Burn R. (2006) A checklist and bibliography of the Opisthobranchia (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Victoria and the Bass Strait area, south-eastern Australia. Museum Victoria Science Reports 10:1–42.
Australian Museum Online sections - sea slug forums

Huang, H. D., Chiu, W. C., Chang, M., & Lee, K. S. (2017). First record of a rare aggregation of the neustonic nudibranch Glaucus marginatus (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Glaucidae) from Kenting National Park, Southern Taiwan. Collection and Research, 30, 17-21.

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Glaucus
• Siput laut naga biru
• Asilus glaucus
• Asilus marginatus
• Lowang
• Asilus sericeus
• Asilus platitarsatus
• Asilus citus
• Asilus viridescens
• Asilus formosus
• Glaucus marginatus
• Glaucus (gastropod)
• Glaucus atlanticus
• Pteraeolidia ianthina
• Blue Dragon
• Porpita porpita
• List of marine animals of Australia (temperate waters)
• Diaprepes
• List of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names
• Pompano