Spanish Dancer

Superpower

Flares its red mantle and swims with rippling flamenco-like waves.

At a glance

Size

typically 20 cm, up to 60 cm

Lifespan

1–1 years

Depth

1–50 m

Habitat

Coral reefs and rubble.

Diet

Sponges, whose chemical defences it recycles for its own.

Can I eat it?

No — this one is not eaten.

Safety

• Poisonous4/10

  Borrows toxins from the sponges it eats to make itself foul-tasting.

Fun facts

• •It is one of the largest sea slugs (nudibranchs) in the world.
• •It swims by flapping its body like a flowing red dress.
• •It steals defensive toxins from the sponges it eats.