Description
Also known as Nudibranch, Spanish Dancer Nudibranch, The Djibouti Giant, 4-gilled Hexabranchus.
Found singly or in pairs, over rubble and sandy areas, of sheltered coral and rocky reefs, rich in sponge growth.
They feed on sponges.
Length - 40cm
Depth - 1-50m
Widespread Indo-West Pacific
Opisthobranchia - Nudibranchs - Sea Slugs meaning "naked gills" are molluscs without a hard shell.
All opisthobranchs are hermaphrodites.
These beautiful slugs are usually brilliantly coloured and this in itself can act as a deterrent against predators. Some sea slugs secrete acid from stinging cells in their tentacles while others secrete acid from cells in their mantle.
Nudibranchs are slow moving, can swim or be propelled along either by muscular contraction or by millions of tiny hairs on the bottom of a fleshy 'foot', they have a voracious appetite and feed with a rasp like tongue.
Nudibranch lay their eggs in a ribbon effect on the sand, in different colours depending on species. Ref: http://www.seaslugforum.net/showall/hexasang
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