Multicoloured sea fan

Multicoloured sea fan
multicoloured sea fan
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Subclass: Octocorallia
Order: Alcyonacea
Suborder: Scleraxonia
Family: Melithaeidae
Genus: Acabaria
Species: A. rubra
Binomial name
Acabaria rubra
Esper, 1789

The multicoloured sea fan, Acabaria rubra, is a species of gorgonian sea fan in the family Melithaeidae.[1]

Contents

Distribution

This sea fan is found only around the South African coast from Bloubergstrand to East London in 10–30 m of water. It is endemic to this region.

Description

The sea fan colony grows up to about 30 cm high, with branches of between 0.2 and 0.4 cm. It is bushy with thin cylindrical branches which are often tangled or joined. The polyps emerge from knobs on the surface of the colony. It is variably coloured, with the colony being red, yellow, white or pink, and the individual polyps being white, yellow or red.[2]

Ecology

THese sea fans are found on vertical surfaces on reefs and under overhangs, usually orientated perpendicularly to the water flow. It may grow in assemblages with sponges, bryozoans or tunicates. It is preyed upon by the coral nudibranch, Phyllodesmium horridum, as well as the walking anemone, Preactis millardae.

References

  1. ^ http://marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=212764 accessed 29 June 2011
  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

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