Kinda but not quite:
Costasiella kuroshimae are capable of a physiological process called kleptoplasty, in which they retain the chloroplasts from the algae they feed on. Absorbing the chloroplasts from algae then enables them to indirectly perform photosynthesis.[6]
Source: Costasiella kuroshimae
And I'm pretty sure there are also jellyfish that live in symbyosis with algae that they carry along with them which photosynthesize, creating sugars for the jellyfish.
Reminds me of Lichen! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen
So vampire photosynthesis.
That’s metal af.
Or rogue photosynthesis.
Also metal af
I mean honestly? If you're not even keeping full cells from the prey, I think we can give it to them. Lil guy, you can photosynthesize. No need to bother them with the asterisks.
The really interesting thing about costasiella kuroshimae is that its digestive system branches and goes up into all of those 'leaves', which is how the algae makes its way there to have its chloroplasts extracted.
kleptoplasty
I like how it's appropriate to call it "-plasty" twice (first in the referring to chloroplasts sense, and then again in the plastic surgery sense).
So it's MegaMan?
This is a god damn Pokemon.
YES
Before you fantasize how this could be used in humans in the future, producing that single thought cost more energy than leaf sheep produce via photosynthesis in their lifetime - feeding of it requires energy efficiency any warm-blooded animal just isn't suited for.
Still cute though.
Not chlorophyll, but retinol. Purple solar powered humanoids.
The human of the future:
Instead of turning sunlight into sugars, what if we turned it into meth?
Pass. Charmander would wreck this guy.
I doubt that seeing is how this thing lives in the ocean
RIght? Was literally in the middle of calling it a Pokemon when I saw this.
they aren't the only animal that does it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleptoplasty#Animals
It looks like it was designed by Aardman Animations.
It's Shaun the Slug!
Looks like the head gear piece my shaman wore in wow a long time ago
Looks more like it has a cows face. Like in cartoons. Two tiny black eyes close together and big nostrils far apart
Shaun???
Symbiotic cyanobacteria?
Screw the Leaf Sheep. It's all about the North American House Hippo.
Don't talk about my mother like that.
How have I never heard of this before?!?
Cool, now I know how to call my spaceship in the next space game I'm gonna play.
