Species Type:
Corals, Invertebrates
Common Name(s):
Black sea rod
Size:
Black sea rod colonies can reach a height of 14 inches (35 centimeters).
Diet:
Using its polyp tentacles, black sea rods catch and eat smaller marine organisms that drift by. They also have a special algae—called zooxanthellae– in their tissues that photosynthesize the sun's rays into energy/food.
Range & Habitat:
In the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean, Black sea rods are commonly found in shallow reef communities.
Details:
Black sea rods have short branches ranging in color from black and purple to green and yellow. Their branches have white polyps. Extending from a single base, each rod will split off into more sections of branching as they grow.