Sea ButterfliesIn NewsThe population of the sea butterflies in the
Southern Ocean is shrinking due to climate change, making them extremely vulnerable.
About Sea butterflies, scientific name
Thecosomata, are a suborder of sea snails known as shelled pteropods.
They are found in all oceans but are more diverse and
abundant in colder waters.
Sea butterflies have bilateral symmetry and a coiled or uncoiled shell of various shapes and sizes.
Their shell is
mostly transparent and very fragile and can be easily dissolved by ocean acidification.
They have a pair of wing-like
lobes or parapodia for propulsion and a head with eyes, tentacles, and a mouth with a long proboscis to capture prey.
They are a major food source for many fish,
seabirds, whales, and other marine animals.
They also play a key role in transporting carbon from the surface to the deep ocean through their
shells and fecal pellets.
