Can we all pause for a hot second and take a moment to bask in the glory that is this SEA SHEEP THAT CAN PHOTOSYNTHESIZE LIKE AN ACTUAL PLANT 🥹 This one has a super power – or should we say...a solar power ☀️👇⁣ ⁣ Costasiella kuroshimae—also known as "leaf slug", "leaf sheep", or "salty ocean caterpillar"—is a species of sacoglossan (sap-sucking) sea slug. But it has earned the nickname "solar-powered sea slug." Why?⁣ ⁣ ☀️ The leaf sheep grazes on algae, sucks its chloroplasts (structures within the algae’s cells that contain chlorophyll, a green photosynthetic pigment) and keeps them within the tissues of its cerata for up to 10 days, a process called kleptoplasty. This allows it to supplement its diet through photosynthesis, which is generally known to be performed only by plants. It is one of few multicellular organisms that has this ability.⁣ ⁣ The algal chloroplasts also provide protection by giving Leaf Sheep a green color for camouflage and chemical defenses to deter predators....