Marine Invertebrate of the Week: Red-margined Spanish Dancer

Since I moved to Oahu in 2009 I have wanted to see the infamous Spanish Dancer. Divers, friends and scientists have all told me about about the beauty and grace of the Spanish Dancer. Now you are probably wondering, has Heather gone crazy and started seeing human dancers underwater? Well, I have not gone crazy and I am referring to a type of Nudibranch that is bright red and known for a graceful, undulating swim resembling a human Spanish dancer. Check out this video to see a Spanish Dancer dancing on the Great Barrier Reef.

I feel extremely lucky, because a few weeks ago I hopped down into some tide pools near Makapu’u Beach and I immediately spotted the a bright red Spanish Dancer:

Red-margined Spanish Dancer (Hexabranchus pulchellus)

Red-margined Spanish Dancer (Hexabranchus pulchellus)

Red-margined Spanish Dancer (Hexabranchus pulchellus)

Red-margined Spanish Dancer (Hexabranchus pulchellus)