Meet Nembrotha cristata - The Alpaca of the Sea

Nestled in the coral reefs of the Indo-West Pacific Ocean is a nudibranch that looks like a mix between a little llama and an '80s sweater. They are approximately 2 inches long. A lifespan of 1 year. I first saw this little sea slug in the Philippines. The body is black and covered with raised green nodules. The rhinophores (horn looking things that help them smell) and gills are black, edged in green.

That coloring acts as a line of defense. Like other brightly colored nudibranchs, that vibrancy acts as a warning to predators. Basically, the neon screams, "Don't eat me, or you'll die!" And that message isn't a lie. The Nembrotha cristata feed on jellyfish and absorb the venom of the Jellyfish stingers.  They can take in that venom without consequence, and then dish it out to the nearest animal that thinks he's getting a poison-free lunch

Keep that in mind if you ever see one of these in the wild. They don't normally live too far underwater, so that's a possibility. You might spot their bright colors, or even the ribbon-like spiral of their eggs.