19/10/2026
The ‘Spanish dancer’ nudibranch is so named because, unlike most nudibranchs that crawl on the seafloor, if disturbed, this nudibranch (Hexabranchus sanguineus) uncurls the edges of its bright red mantle and undulated its entire boys in S-shaped waves to swim through the water. This graceful motion looks like a twirling flamenco skirt.
While most nudibranchs are just a few centimetres long, the Spanish dancer typically grows to 20 to 30cm, with large individuals reaching up to 60cm! They often host tiny,symbiotic emperor shrimp on their backs. The shrimp pick off parasites and dirt, while the massive nudibranch acts as protection.
Each individual possesses both functional male and female reproductive organs but must find a partner to fertilise their eggs. The eggs are laid in thousands in a frilly, coiled pink or crimson-red ribbon mimicking the shape of a rose head or foliaceous coral to blend in with the reef. A single large egg ribbon can hold between 1.5 million and 3.6 million eggs.
CREDIT FOR VIDEOGRAPHY: mataharitulamben
