Clione facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clione |
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| Clione limacina | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
| Clade: | Euthyneura |
| Clade: | Euopisthobranchia |
| Family: | Clionidae |
| Subfamily: | Clioninae |
| Genus: | Clione Pallas, 1774 |
| Synonyms | |
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Trichocyclus Eschscholtz, 1825 |
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Clione is a group of small, floating sea creatures often called sea angels. They are a type of sea slug, which means they are soft-bodied animals that live in the ocean. Sea angels are pelagic, meaning they live in the open ocean, not near the seafloor. They are also a kind of gastropod mollusk, like snails and slugs, but they don't have a shell.
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What are Sea Angels?
Sea angels are tiny, beautiful creatures that look a bit like angels with wings. They are actually a type of sea slug that has adapted to live in the open ocean. Unlike many snails and slugs that crawl on the bottom, sea angels swim freely in the water. They are part of a larger group called Clionidae, which includes all sea angels.
Their Unique Body
Sea angels have a clear, jelly-like body. They have two small, wing-like flaps on their sides that they use to swim. These flaps help them move gracefully through the water. At the front of their body, they have a head with small tentacles. When they are hunting, they can extend six special cone-shaped structures from their head to grab their prey.
Where Do Sea Angels Live?
Sea angels are found in cold waters around the world. You can find them in the Arctic and Antarctic oceans, as well as in deep, cold parts of other oceans. They live in the pelagic zone, which is the open water column, far from the coast or the seabed. They often live in the same areas as their main food source, which are other tiny sea slugs.
What Do Sea Angels Eat?
Even though they look delicate, sea angels are fierce predators! They mostly eat another type of tiny sea slug called sea butterflies (genus Limacina). Sea butterflies are also small, floating mollusks, but they have a small shell.
When a sea angel finds a sea butterfly, it uses its special hunting tools. It extends its six cone-shaped structures, which are covered in tiny hooks. These hooks help the sea angel grab the sea butterfly's shell. Then, the sea angel pulls the sea butterfly out of its shell and eats it whole. It's a very quick and amazing process to watch!
How Do Sea Angels Move?
Sea angels "fly" through the water using their wing-like flaps. They flap these wings in a figure-eight pattern, which helps them move forward and stay afloat. This type of movement is very efficient and allows them to chase their prey or escape from predators. They are always swimming, never resting on the seafloor.
Amazing Adaptations
Sea angels have several cool adaptations that help them survive in their cold, open ocean home:
- Transparency: Their clear bodies make it hard for predators to see them in the water.
- Antifreeze proteins: In very cold polar waters, some sea angels produce special proteins that act like antifreeze. These proteins stop ice crystals from forming in their bodies, allowing them to survive in freezing temperatures.
- Synchronized swimming: Sea angels often swim in groups, especially when they are looking for food. This might help them find prey more easily or protect them from predators.
Sea angels are a fascinating example of how life can adapt to extreme environments in the ocean. They play an important role in the food web of cold ocean waters.
