Glaucus atlanticus: The Ocean's Tiny Blue Dragon

ocean creatures · amazing hunters · sea slugs

Brilliant blue color. Glaucus atlanticus is bright blue on top and silver underneath, which helps it hide from predators above and below in the open ocean.

Eats jellyfish safely. This sea slug feeds on jellyfish and other stinging creatures, but it has special cells that absorb the jellyfish's venom instead of getting hurt by it.

Floats upside-down. Glaucus atlanticus hangs from the ocean surface film, stuck to the water like it's glued there, and drifts with ocean currents.

Thumb-sized wonder. These sea slugs are only about the size of your thumb, making them one of the ocean's smallest but most fearless hunters.

Travels the world. Glaucus atlanticus gets blown across tropical and subtropical oceans on the water's surface, sometimes washing up on beaches far from where it started.