Macro
Spanish Dancer
Hexabranchus sanguineus · Marine gastropod mollusk — family Hexabranchidae; one of the largest nudibranchs known
Most nudibranchs crawl; the Spanish dancer, disturbed, lets go of the reef and swims — mantle skirts flaring and rolling in the deep-red flamenco motion that named it. It ranks among the largest of all nudibranchs, a crimson animal that can reach forearm length, and it is almost strictly nocturnal, which makes it a signature night-dive find across the Indo-Pacific and Red Sea. By torchlight look for one plowing across open reef between sponge meals, often carrying passengers: emperor shrimp ride the mantle folds like deckhands. Its eggs are as recognizable as the animal, a rose-shaped ribbon of pink spirals fixed to hard bottom and chemically defended like the adult. Watch a voluntary swim from a respectful distance; forced performances exhaust an animal with nowhere to hide.
Waar en wanneer je er een kunt zien
"Resident" betekent dat je ze bij de meeste duiken op die bestemming tegenkomt; "seizoensgebonden" betekent betrouwbaar aanwezig in de vermelde maanden; al het andere is een bonus, geen garantie.
| Bestemming | Betrouwbaarheid | Maanden | Notities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharm El Sheikh & Ras MohammedEgypt | Occasional | Het hele jaar door | |
| North & South Malé AtollsMaldives | Occasional | Het hele jaar door | |
| Marsa Alam & the Deep SouthEgypt | Occasional | Het hele jaar door | |
| Lembeh StraitIndonesia | Occasional | Het hele jaar door | |
| Kona, HawaiʻiUnited States | Occasional | Het hele jaar door |
Beste maand, in één oogopslag
Ze begrijpen
Habitat: Coral reefs, rubble, and lagoon slopes, sheltering by day and crossing open bottom at night between sponge meals.
Verspreidingsgebied: Tropical Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, east to Hawaii and French Polynesia.
Gedrag: Almost strictly nocturnal; crawls like any dorid until disturbed, then swims free with rolling flexes of its flared crimson mantle. Lays a rose-shaped pink egg ribbon on hard bottom.
Dieet: Sponges, favoring chemically defended species whose compounds it stores for its own protection.
Grootte: doorgaans rond 0.25 m; gedocumenteerd tot 0.6 m (body length; most individuals run 20–30 cm).
Hoe je je ertegenover gedraagt
If the swimming display happens, enjoy it — but never lift, prod, or fan an animal loose to force a performance, and leave the egg roses unhandled.
Behoud
Not formally assessed; conspicuous size makes it a frequent harassment victim, which responsible operators actively brief against.
Gekende duiksites waar je ze tegenkomt
Bekijk
Via de officiële kanalen
Best Places to Dive with Whale Sharks
Outrageously Tiny Fish
Sink or Swim? with Monét X Change | Monterey Bay Aquarium
Video's zijn ingesloten links naar de kanalen van de makers zelf — wij hosten niets en vermelden altijd de bron.