Seven Traits of the Blue Dragon
The gorgeous blue dragon is a deadly sea slug that can sting its prey with its venom. We list out seven of its most interesting traits
Beautiful but deadly, the Glaucus atlanticus, commonly known as “the blue dragon”, is not what one would expect of a mere slug. Not only is it visually stunning, it possesses abilities unlike any other creature on Earth.
CLASS: Gastropoda
1 Though part of the nudibranch family, the blue dragon is vastly different from your average sea slug, and is known to be pelagic, using the ocean currents to carry it along
2 The blue dragon floats upside down for camouflage: Its blue side faces upwards to blend with the blue water, while the downwards facing silver side blends in with the ocean’s surface
3 They only feed on venomous creatures, often much larger than itself, such as the Portuguese man o‘ war and can deliver a powerful sting to paralyze its prey
4 The immune system of a blue dragon is built to resist the venom of its prey
5 All blue dragons are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs
6 When two blue dragons mate, they both produce egg strings. These egg strings lack a hard substrate to attach to, and are often left to float freely in the water or are placed on the remains of their prey until the larvae hatch
7 These little slugs have the amazing ability to swallow the nematocysts of its venomous prey. These venomous cells are stored in the extremities of their cerata, making the blue dragon’s sting pack an even more powerful punch
Read more about the gorgeous blue dragon and the marine sanctuaries it is found in around the world in No. 112 Issue 2/2018 of Scuba Diver magazine