WHATSTHATFISH
Sea slugs & snails

Spanish Dancer

Hexabranchus sanguineus

Also known as: Nudibranch, Spanish Dancer Nudibranch, Ribbons, The Djibouti Giant, 4-gilled Hexabranchus

Adult
@flyerpaul · Rarotonga, Cook Islands · December 20191 / 1

Showing details for the adult stage. Switch stages to see how it differs.

01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs, over rubble and sandy areas, of sheltered coral and rocky reefs, rich in sponge growth.

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.

02

How to identify

Body shape
frilly
Behaviour
pairssolitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

Where the adult stage lives, and where its photos were taken.

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs, over rubble and sandy areas, of sheltered coral and rocky reefs, rich in sponge growth.

04

Adult photos 1

06

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumMollusca
    3. classGastropoda
    4. orderDoridida
    5. familyHexabranchidae
    6. genusHexabranchus
    7. speciesHexabranchus sanguineus (Rüppell & Leuckart, 1830)

    SourcesWoRMSSea Slug Forum

    07

    More in the family

    Doridida