The blue dragon is a type of mollusc known as a nudibranch. Despite its impressive appearance, it rarely grows larger than three centimetres long. It can be found drifting on the surface of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans in temperate and tropical waters. An air bubble stored in its stomach keeps the blue dragon afloat.
This delicate creature floats on its back, exposing its brightly coloured underbelly to airborne predators. The vibrant blue colour acts as camouflage against the backdrop of ocean waves. Its dull-coloured backside blends with the bright sea surface, hiding it from predators below.
The blue dragon’s favourite snack is the Portuguese Man O’ War a venomous ocean drifter that resembles a jellyfish. Once ingested, it siphons off the Man O’ War’s stinging cells–called nematocysts–and concentrates them in its own finger-like appendages. It can amass a large number of these cells which makes it a greater threat to humans than the Man O’ War.
Credits: Sabitha
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