Spanish Dancing Sea Slugs

The popular “Dancing with the Stars” have sent droves of people to dance studios to brush up on their moves. Perhaps they should also check out the awesome moves by this large, colourful and beautiful sea slug from the Red Sea. Hexabranchus sanguineus is its Latin name which means “six-gills blood-colored “ but its common name, Spanish Dancer, is perfect for it “swims” just like the frilly skirt movements of a flamenco dancer.

The video really captures the graceful moves of this creature which one scientist described as “erotic”. But most are fascinated by what seems like an inefficient way of moving around - although it is “locomotion with style”. The slug is moving fairly fast in the video, probably in response to “The light! The light! - I must get away from the bright light!”