Palmate sea fan

The palmate sea fan (Leptogorgia palma) is a species of gorgonian sea fan in the family Gorgoniidae.

Palmate sea fan
a feeding palmate sea fan
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Alcyonacea
Family: Gorgoniidae
Genus: Leptogorgia
Species:
L. palma
Binomial name
Leptogorgia palma
(Pallas, 1766)[1]

Description

This fan grows up to 2m in total height and is bright red. It has small white polyps which retract into slits in the colony when not feeding. It has branches which fork from the central flattened trunk.[2]

Distribution

This sea fan is found only around the South African coast from the Cape Peninsula to Sodwana in 10–100 m of water. It is endemic to this region.[3]

Ecology

This fan is very slow-growing, at only 15mm per year, so large colonies may be more than 100 years old. It is eaten by a sponge crab (Pseudodromia latens), and a topshell snail (Calliostoma ornatum).[3]

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References
  1. http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=286254 accessed 31 July 2013
  2. Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 978-1-77007-772-0
  3. Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9
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