Stats

Lifespan: 10-15 yrs
Size: Medium
Diet: Filter Feeder
Activity: Cathemeral
Social: Colony
Biome: Coastal reef
Range: Western Atlantic
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Toxins
Status: Rare

About

The colorful sea whip is a branching soft coral found in shallow coastal waters. Each tiny polyp extends eight feathery tentacles to trap drifting plankton from the current.

Life cycle

1.
juvenile
A clearly-young animal, past the newborn phase but well short of full adult size.
2.
adult
Fully grown.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Malacalcyonacea
Family: Gorgoniidae
Genus: Leptogorgia
Species: Leptogorgia virgulata