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Soft Tree Corals
Siphonogorgia godeffroyi
13.7586, 120.918
Field Notes
Description:
Siphonogorgia godeffroyi, the cherry blossom coral or Godeffroy's Soft Coral, is a species of soft coral in the family Nidaliidae. It is native to the central Indo-Pacific region. Its range includes Indonesia, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. This species was first described in 1874 by the Swiss biologist Albert von Kölliker.
Siphonogorgia godeffroyi is an arborescent coral with red or pink bare branches. The polyps are white and star-like and are concentrated on the tips of small branches. This species feeds on plankton. It is found at depths between 10 and 20 m.
Habitat:
They usually grows on both rocky and coral reefs, on rock ledges, on reef slopes and under overhangs and mostly on dive sites with currents.
Current environment is ideal for them as it brings to them a good flow of fresh water and plankton
Notes:
Pic #1 is to show when they are not feeding, you see the pink bare branches.
Pic #2 is close-up of Pic #1, showing some polyps opening up
Pics #3, 4 & 5 showing a separate specimen in full bloom. When feeding, the polyps opens up making them looks like flowers.
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