Scientific Name: Plakobranchus sp.
Common Name: Unidentified plakobranchus

Adult Size: 10 – 30 mm
Depth Range: 1 – 20 m
Biotope / Habitat: Shallow seagrass beds and algal-covered rocks, gliding over algae-covered surfaces
Diet: Feeds on green algae (e.g., Caulerpa spp.), using kleptoplasty to retain chloroplasts in its tissues — effectively turning itself into a “solar-powered” slug
Reproduction: Hermaphroditic; reciprocal mating occurs, with tiny, coiled egg ribbons laid on algae or seagrass leaves
Fun Fact: Plakobranchus sp. has a flat, leaf-like body in shades of green and beige, allowing it to blend perfectly into the seagrass meadows and harness the sun’s energy through stolen chloroplasts!

This elegant little slug is a master of blending in, drifting among seagrass blades while performing photosynthesis — a true wonder of the reef’s shallow meadows.