Sea Fan
Sea Fan
Gorgonia
CommonGorgoniidaeHarmless
ID points
- A fan-shaped mesh skeleton growing perpendicular to the current
- Branches spread out within a single plane
- Surface densely covered in small retractable polyps
Basics
- Family
- Gorgoniidae
- Length
- 30–150 cm
- Depth
- 5-50 m
- Regions
- Indo-Pacific reefs · Caribbean & W. Atlantic
- Distribution
- Tropical coral reefs
- Habitat
- Current-swept tropical reefs
- Diet
- Plankton
Easily confused with
Giant ClamTwo heavy wavy shell edges clamped tight onto the reef
Soft CoralNo stony skeleton, soft and springy to the touch
Staghorn CoralBranches spread up and out like stag antlersFun fact
Shaped like an open fan and easily mistaken for a plant, it is in fact an animal that feeds by filtering plankton from the water, and it usually grows at right angles to the current.
Open in the field guide - stacking filters and ID training >