Gorgonians

Related Articles: Octocorals, Water Flow, How Much is Enough,

/The Conscientious Marine Aquarist

Sea Fans for Marine Aquaria, the Gorgonians, Order Gorgonaceae

Part 2

To: Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

Bob Fenner

Genus Erythropodium:

Erythropodium caribaeorum, Encrusting Gorgonian. Tropical west Atlantic. Fine polyps covering brownish soft tissue. Partially open/closed most of the time. Roatan 2019.

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Genus Eunicea:

Eunicea calyculata, Ellis & Solander 1786, the Warty Eunicea. Key West 2014

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Eunicea mammosa, the Swollen-Knob Candelabrum. Tropical West Atlantic. To about a foot in height. Closely packed tubular calyces. Candelabrum like in appearance overall. Have tube-like calyces and candelabra-like colonies. Most are light gold in color. Exist in many types of reef environments. High to low light, water movement. Di pix in Cozumel. Below: Aquarium and Cozumel images.

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available)

Genus Gorgonia:

Gorgonia adamsi, the Red Sea Fan. Red, interconnected wide spaced branches (about two branches wide spaces); w/ distinctive white polyps. To about a foot in height; and 120 feet depths. Sea of Cortez distr. Here in Cabo 2016.

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Gorgonia flabellum, the Venus Sea Fan. Large fans to four feet, of one plane whose branches are interlaced and roundish to squared off at angles to the fans surface in profile, and ragged appearing on their edges; i.e. have non-unifacial elements. Below: Bahamas, Belize close ups and big colony.

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Gorgonia mariae, Sea Fan. Small species; grey to yellow small fans; polyps in opposite/alternating rows, larger gaps between branchlets. Cozumel 2014

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Gorgonia ventilana, the Common Sea Fan. Similar to the Venus Sea Fan (above), but with branches that are flattened in profile, not roundish. Bright purple holdfasts and supporting branches. A close up of the skeleton of G. ventilana on the left, B. flabellum on right in the Bahamas. Both mainly purple, but varying to whites, yellows, as second close up (Bahamas) shows.

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To: Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

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