“And today we are talking about the magellan with dark blue flagellum. But more on that later.”
Description
- Small symmetrical slug that doesn’t look like your typical slug.
- It has a slender body with appendages coming off of each side that almost look like hands.
- Instead of fingers, they have Cerata, which are appendages found in nudibranchs and other sea slugs.
- They are ornately colored with a silver streak that goes down their back with black stripes on each side.
- They have shades from light to dark blue on the rest of their body.
- It is dorsal side is a light color while its belly (foot) is a darker color.
- Usually, it’s the opposite, especially in the ocean.
- Countershading is when an animal’s back is dark and its belly is light.
- Helps to camouflage. Seen from below blend in with the lit surface and sky, seen from above, blend in with dark sea depths or ground.
- It’s the opposite in sea dragons because the gas pouch that helps them float is located close to their foot, flipping them upside down.
Measure Up
Length – 3 centimeters (1.2 in) – How many blue dragons go into the total length of Smaug (18 meters or 59 feet) according to The Atlas of Middle Earth written by Karen Wynn Fonstad and published in 1981? – Hint: The only description of size given by Tolkien himself was that Smaug couldn’t fit through the secret passage even when he was young, which is five feet tall and wide enough for three people. Answer: 600 Blue Dragons (work: 1800 cm divided by 3 equals 600)
Cerata – The Blue Dragon can have as many as 84 cerata on its body. – How many blue dragon certa groups go into the total number of direct ancestors you have 20 generations ago (1,048,576)? Hint: 34 of 43 U.S. presidents are related to Charlemagne. Answer: 12,483
Distribution
- They are pelagic, which means they like the open ocean.
- This also means they are found everywhere, and many believe they can be found throughout the world’s oceans.
- They prefer warm, temperate, and tropical waters.
- It’s been recorded off the coasts of Africa, Europe, India, Australia, and Mozambique.
Fast Facts
- Like other snails and slugs, Blue dragons are both male and female.
- After mating both slugs lay eggs