Elegant sapsucking slugs glide across tropical reef shallows, piercing green algal filaments with a specialized radular tooth to suck out nutritious cell sap. Their bodies are adorned with translucent, paddle-shaped cerata that ripple in gentle water movement and detach instantly when grasped by a predator. These discarded appendages continue writhing on the seabed while exuding defensive chemicals, buying the slug time to slip into reef crevices and regenerate its lost tissues.
MarineHerbivorousColorful
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
Green Algae
Turtle Weed Algae
Algal Sap
Predators
Reef Fish
Crabs
Carnivorous Sea Slugs
ThreatsCoral reef degradation, rising sea temperatures, and coastal runoff
HabitatsTropical coral reefs, sheltered lagoons, and shallow algal flats
Life span6–12 months
Classification
FamilyHermaeidae
SpeciesCyerce elegans
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
Low
Moderate
High
Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
Reef Etiquette: Do not touch or manipulate the slug, as even light pressure causes it to drop its cerata.
Macro Photography: Scan well-lit patches of green filamentous algae in shallow coral lagoons during low tide.
