The Spanish Dancer, scientifically known as Hexabranchus sanguineus, defies all expectations of a typical sea slug. Its name, “blood-coloured six-gills,” offers a glimpse into the captivating underwater world it inhabits.
So named because it swirls its voluminous ‘skirts’ reminiscent of a female Spanish Flamenco dancer. This Nudibranch, (naked gills), grows to two feet long and like many of its kind, is hermaphrodite, meaning it is both male and female.
In the face of danger, it extends its mantle edges and takes to swimming – a manoeuvre resembling a graceful pirouette, earning it the fitting name of the Spanish Dancer.
Depending on its location – whether it’s the Red Sea, the Western Indian Ocean, French Polynesia, or the Western Pacific – its colours shift and change, a living testament to nature’s diverse palette.
Beyond its captivating appearance, the Spanish Dancer is a discerning diner. It feeds on sponges and has both male and female attributes, it’s a living testament to versatility.
As if these amazing behaviours and characteristics weren’t enough, the Spanish Dancer adds yet another layer of intrigue to its story. Rather than laying plain eggs, eggs are laid in bright pink ribbons containing thousands of veliger larvae similar to the youngsters of marine snails.
