Which do you imagine you'd like most to see?
Pteropod sounds scientific and has an exciting echo of pterodactyl (dactyl means finger, by the way); sea butterfly has a whimsical charm which some might consider veers towards the sickening.
Is the choice is between science and fantasy? Between danger and delicacy?
Here's a picture to help:

What do you think now?
Sea butterflies or pteropods mostly eat algae, and they range in size from a lentil to an orange. This doesn't sound too threatening until you discover that they trap the algae in a sticky web.
Sea butterflies/pteropods live near the surface of the water of all the seas. The 'wings' (which are really, unromantically, a modified foot) flap to propel the thing along just like real wings.
Most pteropods/sea butterflies don't have a shell, and if they do it's very small and thin.
I'm afraid they're molluscs, like an octopuses or a slugs.
So, now what? Sea butterfly or pteropod?
Well, it might depend on who you are.
I'd imagine a male-female bias if I dared...
...but I don't.
Word To Use Today: sea butterfly/pteropod. The pod comes from the Greek pous, foot. Ptero- comes from the Greek pteron, wing or feather. The word butterfly is discussed HERE.
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