Part Animal, Part Plant

I like to think I am photosynthetic—I often find myself more full of energy and cheer when the sun isn't hiding for the day. Although there may be some psychological effects associated with sunshine exposure, there really isn't any physiological means (that has been discovered) by which an animal can attain energy directly from sun exposure. Evolution has yielded two separate kingdoms of heterotrophs (animals) and autotrophs (plants) that maintain their energy needs through different routes. These routes have not really converged in any other means other than symbiosis.

Now, scientists are reporting the discovery of a sea slug that has a fully functioning plant pathway inside its animal body. The slug has accomplished this feat by incorporating genetic material from its main food source, algae. Extrinsic genetic material incorporation (transformation) is commonplace within the microbial and viral world, but not in multicellular animals.

The slugs can manufacture the most common form of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants that captures energy from sunlight [..]. A radioactive tracer [was used] to show that the slugs were making the pigment, called chlorophyll a, themselves and not simply relying on chlorophyll reserves stolen from the algae the slugs dine on.

In essence, this is a novel class of animal/plant. A rewrite of the textbooks may be necessary. This is exciting stuff!