Yesterday we introduced our readers to Hexabranchus sanguineus, a large red nudibranch species also known by its common name, the Spanish Dancer. Have a look at this video, and you will understand how the creature came to be called the Spanish Dancer.
If the video does not play or display properly above, click here to view it on YouTube.
Tip of the hat to YouTube user ALxFONS for posting the video.
It's like Spanish Dancer dancing Flaminco. Very nice video.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking it looked like a woman's paso doble outfit. They typically wear flowing red dresses to mimic the look of a bullfighter's cape.
ReplyDeleteLooks like he/she is dancing the flamenco. Nice video, pain in the arse taxonomy.
ReplyDelete@ Antigoni - Glad you liked it.
ReplyDelete@ Dennis - Paso doble? (Doesn't that translate to "two-step"? I thought that's what they do in Texas!!) I'll take your word for it, since I know nothing of Spanish dance forms. Now that you mention the bullfighter's cape, though, it makes sense.
@ ScienceGuy - Not sure what you mean by "pain in the arse taxonomy." Are you referring to the divergence between the common name and the taxonomic name? Hexabranchus sanguineus actually is one of the better taxonomic names I know of. Hexabranchus refers to the six gills characteristic of the genus, and sanguineus refers to the blood-red color of this species. Works for me. ;-}
Bobbie
I'm so glad you put that on video. I wouldn't have imagined it was that big it I didn't see the hand holding it first. It does look like a spanish dancer's skirt twirling around. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing bit of tape. If more people would look at your blog, surely they would start to care about taking better care of our planet!
ReplyDeleteLovely dance by the "sea slugs".
ReplyDelete@ 2Sweet - It's not our video -- we found it on YouTube, but we thought it was good for illustrating both the size and the swimmin motion of this creature.
ReplyDelete@ Gail - Thank you. We do hope that The Right Blue helps people to have a better understanding of the sea and the creatures that inhabit it.
@ Tabib - Thank you.
Bobbie
When pancakes dream...
ReplyDeleteHi Lavender - I like the way your mind works. ;-}
ReplyDeleteBobbie
I am really glad I found this video. I was recently in Hawaii and your video helped me confirm I did see a Spanish Dancer. It was a small one, only about 2 and a half inches long. It was beautiful and I could have watched it for hours swimming.
ReplyDeleteI am fasinated by that video however, i would like to know how much it weighs when it's a juvenile and when it's a full grown adult. I love Spanish Dancers.
ReplyDeleteI can't really say how much a Spanish Dancer would weigh. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteBobbie
Amazing footage! How would the salinity of it's surroundings affect the Spanish Dancer?
ReplyDeleteIt really does look like a spanish dancer. I am crazy about fish. Hey, would you happen to know how the water temperature would affect the spanish dancer?
ReplyDeleteI'm the above questioner and I just wanted to tell you, the information is purely for a science paper.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the answers to the above questions about the Spanish Dancer (salinity, water temp.). I suggest you do a Google search on the creature's scientific name "Hexabranchus sanguineus" and/or visit the Sea Slug Forum (http://seaslug.info/) for more info about this creature.
ReplyDeleteBobbie