Sea Fan

Variety of coral composed of numerous polyps—cylindrical sessile (attached) forms—that grow together in a flat fanlike pattern. Each polyp in the colony has eight tentacles. A central internal skeleton, composed of a flexible, horny scleroprotein called gorgonin, supports all branches of the colony, and the living tissues form a layer over its entire surface. The tissues are often coloured in hues of red, yellow, or orange. The polyps spread out their tentacles to form a plankton-catching net. In most cases the fan-shaped colonies grow across the current, which increases their ability to ensnare prey.