Got about 30 minutes of shade left in that spot, and about an hour before I have to let the dogs out. I'm afraid I may have to move him.
Luckily, I think it's the same one that I usually see in the back yard, so I can prob move him there without momma having too much trouble finding him. Gonna wear gloves and try to minimize the amount of my scent that may get transferred.
That's a Blue Dragon (Glaucus atlanticus). They can eat the nematocysts from jellyfish and store them to reuse as their own stinging cells. So..."dangerous," not really but as painful as they are beautiful...oh yes.
What? No one is comparing them. The question was asked, are they dangerous? OP mused that they have no natural weapons, or danger per se, but instead borrow the jellyfish’s defense. So they are painful in their defense. Likely not aggressive.
“Despite the unsavory or toxic taste they can present to their non-human predators, most nudibranchs are harmless to humans, except those like Glaucus atlanticus which consumes nematocytes and so may consider you a predator and sting”
This particular species does sting, so I would argue it is dangerous. But its mechanism is super interesting: it eats the stinging cells from jellyfish, absorbs them into its own body, and uses them to sting others the same way. Some even release acid. Incredible!
Just updated again. Looks like she did come back for him. At least, I'm assuming she did. They normally don't wander off from where their mom stashes them.
aww
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