Species · GBIF taxon 2292277
Spanish Shawl
Flabellinopsis iodineaAlso known as Spanish Shawl Nudibranch
Spanish shawls are breathtaking marine gastropods easily recognized by their neon purple bodies, brilliant orange cerata, and scarlet rhinophores. When threatened, these nudibranchs can detach from the seafloor and swim through the water column by vigorously flexing their bodies side to side. They feed primarily on hydroids, storing the stinging cells of their prey in their own cerata for defense.
MarineColorfulActive Swimmer
Licensed referenceNPS Photo / Public domain · cc0
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Solitary hydroids
- Colonial hydroids
Predators
- Navanax inermis
- Rock crabs
- Certain sea stars
ThreatsOcean acidification, warming sea temperatures, and coastal pollution
HabitatsRocky reefs, kelp forests, and intertidal tide pools
Life spanUp to 1 year
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyFlabellinopsidae
- SpeciesFlabellinopsis iodinea
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Look in kelp forests: Search among giant kelp holdfasts and rocky crevices during low tide.
- Watch for swimming: If you see one detach, watch its mesmerizing side-to-side thrashing motion.
- Do not touch: Their delicate cerata can easily break off, depriving them of their defensive weapons.
Predator (c) Yury Velikanau, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Image unavailablePrey 
Close Relative "Opalescent Nudibranch" by Dan Hershman is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.