Sea Fan (Gorgonian)
About the Sea Fan (Gorgonian)
They orient perpendicular to water currents to maximize food capture. Over 1,200 species of gorgonians exist. Their skeletons are made of flexible protein (gorgonin) allowing them to sway with currents. They are often brightly colored in purple, red, yellow, and orange. Pygmy seahorses live exclusively on specific gorgonian species. They can live 100+ years. They are found worldwide. They are related to corals but lack the hard calcium carbonate skeleton. They reproduce by broadcast spawning.
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