What Are Sea Angels?

This is the first time that I write something about the ocean. One of my favorite subjects but also one of the scariest ones; luckily, the creature that we are going to talk about is nothing but beautiful, to say the least. They are called “Sea Angels”, if you want to know a little bit more about them, then keep on reading.

Source: https://www.diyphotography.net/photographer-captures-the-otherworldly-beauty-of-sea-angels-floating-below-the-white-sea-ice/

What are they and where are they from?

These creatures might look like they come from another planet and seem out worldly, but they are from our beautiful planet Earth (it never ceases to amaze us), sea angels live in large amounts in Arctic and Antarctic seas. They belong to the family of the pteropods, which would be like shell-less sea snails. They are extremely small, with the largest species reaching only 5 centimeters long.

They belong naturally to the family of the snails, scientists refer to them collectively as Gymnosomes, and within their own species, there are some that are the most common: Clione limacina and Clione antarctica. They only grow about 4-7 centimeters (or three inches long).

Their unique beauty

Sea angels are always mesmerizing to watch, especially for the people who encounter them in real life. The way they move their fins makes one think that they are actually flying, accompanied always with gracious movements. They are translucent, which adds to their magical appearance. Their translucent quality also allows us to see their internal organs like their gonads, which are pink and orange in many cases.

What do they eat?

Sea angels are predators, and their favorite meal is actually one of their closest relatives: the sea butterfly (shelled sea snails). Basically what they do is to get hold of their prey, then they use two specialized eating appendages known as buccal cones to extract the sea butterflies completely out of their shells. They can et them up in only two minutes.

Source: https://miro.medium.com/max/5120/1*kvAMQ3G3uF9-VIZ7-X2eaA.jpeg

Their defense mechanism

Sea angels have evolved to deter their predators by shedding a chemical compound that is really bitter and sour to the other fishes’ taste. It is the only example in which a chemical defense is produced by the mollusk and not absorbed from a food source.

There is one animal that likes to take advantage of this very particular characteristic: a tiny crustacean called an amphipod. What they do is they hitching rides on the sea angel’s backs to be protected as well.

How do scientists identify their genders?

Sea angels have the amazing ability to switch sexes, they are hermaphrodites. Which means they start out male and turn female throughout the course of their lives. Their mating sessions are filled with beauty as well since they start swirling together with their partner (up to four hours) as if they were dancing. In the picture below we can see a female sea angel liberating her eggs.

Source: https://ocean.si.edu/sites/default/files/styles/article_full_width/public/2020-12/sea-angel-eggs-cropped.jpg?itok=j3d09jKZ

These are beautiful creatures indeed. What do you think? Would you like to see one in the open sea? What would you do if you saw one? Tell me all about it in the comments section at the end of the article. I’m always happy to read what comes to your mind after reading my articles!

Sources:

Wikipedia | Sea Angels

Oceans | Angels Of The Sea