cyclopticgaze

Corolla spectabilis

     Corolla is an amazingly large pteropod sea slug (the word "pteropod" translates to "winged foot").  Pteropods do not crawl along the sea bottom, but flap their wings to swim through the water.  This animal's wingspan is measured in inches.  The specimen below had a wingspan of about four or five inches.  The "furry" edges of its wings, best seen at the wingtips, are collections of mucous glands.  Corolla secretes large amounts of mucous in net-like tangles that it uses to snare prey.  The second picture is of Corolla's "slipper," a polymeric pseudo-shell that it uses for protection.  This shell is obviously no longer in the animal;  we removed it after the animal died.