Spanish dancer

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Spanish dancer
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Subclass: Orthogastropoda Superorder: Heterobranchia Order: Opisthobranchia Suborder: Nudibranchia Infraorder: Anthobranchia Superfamily: Doridoidea Family: Hexabranchidae Genus: Hexabranchus Species: H. sanguineus
Binomial name
Hexabranchus sanguineus (Ruppell & Leuckart, 1828)

The Spanish dancer, Hexabranchus sanguineus (literally meaning "six-gills blood-colored "), is a dorid nudibranch, a very large and colorful sea slug. This is a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Hexabranchidae.

[edit] Description

This species of very large, strong-swimming nudibranch is found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific and Red Sea. It is one of the largest of all nudibranchs; specimens of over 40 cm in length have been reported.

The species name, sanguineus, refers to its bright red coloration, but a yellow variant also exists.

[edit] Life habits

The Emperor shrimp, Periclimenes imperator, is a commensal that is commonly found living on H. sanguineus.

90cm specimen of Spanish dancer photographed at night in Bali

Spanish dancer photographed in daylight, Dahab

[edit] External links

• Hexabranchus sanguineus at the Sea Slug Forum