This Adorable "Sea Sheep" Can Photosynthesize And Looks Like A Cartoon Character

Just as you start to think that nature couldn't be more strange, it blesses you with the discovery of another mind-boggling animal. First sighted in 1993 off the coast of the Japanese island Kuroshima, this little sea slug looks like it's not even a real creature, but a 3D-rendered Pokemon. This peculiar animal is shaped like miniature sheep (its face hilariously resembling Shaun the Sheep) with green leaves covering its body, and thus was given the scientific name Costasiella Kuroshimae, also called the "leaf sheep" or "leaf slug" for short. However, the surreal beauty of this unique creature, which can be found near Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines is not easy to behold with the naked eye, as it only grows up to 5mm in length.
Another fascinating aspect of the leaf sheep is their ability to perform photosynthesis, which is shared by very few other species of animal. By consuming algae, they extract the chloroplasts and use a process known as kleptoplasty to incorporate them into their own bodies. This process is normally limited to single-celled organisms, but these solar-powered slugs can perform it too. Those eye-catching "leaves" on their body aren't just for show. Scroll down below to Marvel at the fantastical beauty of these real-life fairy tale creatures!

"It's a sheep...It's a Pokemon...It's Costasiella Kuroshimae!"

Source: Lynn Wu

 

Few other animals in the world can photosynthesize like the leaf sheep can

Source: Randi Ang

Source: Johnny Chiu

They come in a variety of colors and decorative patterns too!

Source: Shinto K Anto

 

Source: Abdulrahman Hamed

 

Source: Randi Ang

Source: Lynn Wu

These magnificently adorable creatures can be found in Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines

Source: Adrie Rolloos

 

Source: Marcello Zof

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