3 thoughts on “Preschoolers: “What do we call this crazy swimming creature?””

1.     Hi Mary, thanks for writing! That’s a swimming nudibranch, or sea slug. Nudibranches are mollusks that normally crawl on the bottom, but when disturbed, some species can swim! I’m about 90% sure the nudibranch in the Hawaii video is a Spanish Dancer, Hexabranchus sanguineus. The exact coloration is variable, they are usually orangey/yellow and are found all over the South Pacific, including Hawaii. Here’s another video of a similar one from Australia:

   Tom

2.    Thanks. I really like that video. I am going to try to show it to the kids. We don’t have internet in the classroom but maybe I can show it with my phone. Mary

3. They are also called Sea Serapes. Named after the loose cloaks the Spanish wear and resemble this swimming nudibranch while blowing in the wind. Also a Matador’s Cape which can move like this when manipulated by the Matador during a bull fight. It shows his bravery because he stands still in front of the bull while making the cape swirl, which is supposed to entice the bull to charge.