Animal profile

Spanish Dancer

Hexabranchus sanguineus

GastropodaTropical coral reefs, on and around sponges

Field profile

The Spanish dancer is one of the largest nudibranchs, reaching around forty centimetres. It is deep red to orange with pale marbling and has six feathery gill plumes at the rear. It feeds on sponges and swims by undulating its flared mantle margins.

Published field notes

2024-08-11

Spanish Dancer

The Spanish dancer swims and poisons its own eggs

This large nudibranch escapes by unfurling its mantle and undulating through open water. It also transfers defensive compounds obtained from its sponge prey into its egg ribbons, so the eggs are chemically protected before they hatch.

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