Swallowtail Headshield Slug

Swallowtail Headshield Slug
Chelidonura Hirundinina

Black makes everything else hit harder on this slug. Electric turquoise, vivid orange, yellow and crisp white streak across the body in fine, almost neon lines, with the colors becoming especially wild around the head and those long, split tail extensions. Some markings run cleanly from front to back, while others break into little flashes and spots, giving the whole animal an almost electric energy. Then there are those impossibly long tails, edged in bright color and trailing behind like ribbons. It is small, but visually it is absolutely outrageous.

• Size: Around 20–40 mm
• Range: Tropical Indo-Pacific and Caribbean Sea
• Habitat / Depth: Sandy bottoms, rubble, algal beds and shallow reef habitats
• Diet: Small flatworms and other tiny cephalaspidean prey