Oxynoe kylei
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Mollusca
- Class
- Gastropoda
- Order
- Sacoglossa
- Family
- Oxynoidae
- Genus
- Oxynoe
- Species
- Oxynoe kylei
Oxynoe kylei is a small sacoglossan, or sap-sucking sea slug, in the family Oxynoidae. Sacoglossans are not true nudibranchs, though they are often grouped with them by divers.
Unlike most sea slugs it has a short, rounded body rather than a long one. It is covered in rounded bumps with bright blue spots, and carries a thin shell. The book compares its comical ball-shaped body to Bowser from the Mario games.
Sacoglossans feed by piercing algae and sucking out the cell contents. Oxynoe species are found on green Caulerpa algae, which they match closely in colour.
In the Philippines it is a prized find for macro photographers. Search Caulerpa beds carefully, and use a diopter to pick out the blue spots.
It appears on page 314 of Nudibranchs of the Philippines.
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