Purple Sea Fan © captain John Rothchild
The purple sea fan, or Gorgonia ventalina, is a beautiful and unique coral
that grows in the shape of a fan and has a distinctive purple coloring. They
are found in a large number of habitats despite the old belief that their growth
was limited to outer and rim reefs. They've now spread to shallow waters in
Bermuda and the Caribbean. The reason for their expansion is that they flourish
in constant flowing areas for feeding and respiration purposes. They can grow
to be about 190 centimeters tall by 150 centimeters wide and are truly a breathtaking
part of our ecosystem.
- Baker, T.A. and J.B. Wood. "Marine Invertebrates of Bermuda: Common Sea Fan.
- http://www.thecephalopodpage.org/MarineInvertebrateZoology/Gorgoniaventalina.html
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