Spectacular Corolla
Corolla spectabilis
Also known as: Flying Sea Slug, Potato Chip, Potato Chip-of-the-Sea, Sea Butterfly, Swimming Sea Slug
- Flying Sea Slug
- Potato Chip
- Potato Chip-of-the-Sea
- Sea Butterfly
- Swimming Sea Slug
Overview
Found sometimes in large aggregations, floating or swimming freely in the water, being carried along by the currents. Thecosomata beat their wing-like parapodia to "fly" through the water, hunting at night, migrating vertically in the water column, following the plankton and returning to deeper waters during the day.
They feed nocturnally on plankton.
These creatures are important in the food chain and are consumed by birds, whales and large fish.
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Eastern Pacific, Western Atlantic, Mediterranean
- Country only · 3
Found sometimes in large aggregations, floating or swimming freely in the water, being carried along by the currents.
Adult photos 3
Discussion
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Deep dive
Taxonomy
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumMollusca
- classGastropoda
- orderPteropoda
- familyCymbuliidae
- genusCorolla
- speciesCorolla spectabilis Dall, 1871
SourcesWoRMSSea Slug Forum