Juvenile Spanish Dancer




 Heidi and I made an amazing discovery in our favorite tidepools the other night, something we have been searching for time and time again, a nocturnal nudibranch called a Spanish Dancer. It has a similar name to the spanish shawl nudibranchs that we were used to seeing in California but this nudibranch can be over a foot long! However this night was very special, because our spanish dancer happened to be a juvenile.
The colors on the juveniles are so vibrant. This animal personifies what makes nudibranchs so highly sought after. They also share a certain skill with the spanish shawls of California...the ability to swim! As this one undulated back and forth through the water I was able to snap a picture just as it reached the surface of the tidepool, making it look like it is kissing its reflection.

Reaching out to its reflection


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