Are these Spanish Dancers?

January 27, 2002
From: Reine

Dear Bill,
I took this picture of 2 huge nudibranchs in December 2001 at Apo Island - Philippines. Are these Spanish Dancers?
The were each about 25 cm long. (the picure was taken with a 20 mm wide angle).
Thanks in advance

Reine

r.vandenweghe@terneuzen.nl

Reine, 2002 (Jan 27) Are these Spanish Dancers?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6046

Dear Reine,
Yes these are Hexabranchus sanguineus. At present we consider that there is only one species in the Indo-West Pacific but if you look at the other photos on this page you will see that there are a number of distinctive colour forms which probably need to be looked at in more detail before we can be sure.

Your 25cm animals are quite large but Marli Wakeling in an earlier message reports some at about 60cm long.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Jan 27). Comment on Are these Spanish Dancers? by Reine. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6046

Factsheet

Hexabranchus sanguineus

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