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Common (purple) Sea Fan
Gorgonia ventalina
21.2338, -86.7331
Field Notes
Description:
This fan shaped horny coral grows with the flat side facing the current to allow them to feed more efficiently on the flow of plankton.
Gorgonia ventalina is a unique coral that grows in the shape of a fan and has a distinctive purple coloring. With their surface sclerites and chemical compounds they are able to defend off predators and diseases.
Habitat:
Western Atlantic Ocean: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, and Colombia.
Inhabits inshore and patch reef flats.
Reference Links:
EOL: Gorgonia ventalina
Species ID Suggestions
Spotted for Missions
Photographed
PublishedOctober 7, 2011
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