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Sea Butterfly

Cavolinioidea

Photo by AlbertKang
Published on Project Noah
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13.7611, 120.923

Field Notes

Description:

The superfamily Cavolinioidea is the most speciose group of sea butterflies. Sea butterflies (thecosomata) are pelagic marine gastropods, so called because they swim by flapping their wing-like parapodia.

Quite small, less than 1 cm in body size with 2 long tentacles.

Habitat:

Pelagic/oceanic

Reference Links:

Cavolinioidea

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (6)
Liana
Beautiful photo Albert and what a wonderful spotting! Thank you for sharing :)
AlbertKang
Yes, they are nice especially when they are fluttering around. Since they are relatively small and body is translucent, its usually very hard to get good pictures of them :(
Machi
Beautiful photo and animal! Glad to help
AlbertKang
Thanks, @Machi, yea, looks like its Cavolina specie, Sea Butterfly. Will update the info :)
Machi
I think this is a Cavolinia species. It looks similar to http://earthfirstnews.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/seabutter4.jpg. I think this genus is not as well researched or discovered as others, so ID may be difficult.

Spotted for Missions

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Global Coral Reef Monitoring
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Philippine Wildlife
Mission
Mission WILD
Mission
National Geographic's Great Nature Project

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Photographed
PublishedJuly 22, 2014

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