Who Knew Sea Slugs Could Look This Cute?

Costasiella Kuroshimae, or ‘Leaf Sheep’ for short, is a type of herbivorous sea slug found in the warm waters of Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. The adorable looking creatures can grow up to 5mm long and could actually perform photosynthesis from the Avrainvillea algae they munch on. Absorbing the chloroplasts into their system, a process usually performed only by single-celled organisms, the leaf sheep can survive on the energy produced from kleptoplasty for months. With their eyes set close together, their pinkish ‘nostrils,’ and roundish bodies, the Costasiella resembles a cross between a sheep and a cow that makes them so stinking cute.