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Venus sea fan

Gorgonia flabellum

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Fun Facts

The Venus sea fan is a soft coral, so it has no hard skeleton!

Species Type:

Corals, Invertebrates

Common Name(s):

Venus sea fan

Size:

These sea fans grow to 3.3 feet (1 meter) across.

Diet:

Using their polyp's tentacles, Venus sea fans catch organic compounds and small marine organisms from their environment. They also have a special algae—called zooxanthellae– in their tissues that photosynthesize the sun's rays into energy/food.

Range & Habitat:

In the Caribbean Sea and along the coast of the Bahamas, Venus sea fans inhabit crests and shallow reef slopes with wave activity.

Details:

Venus sea fans can be yellow, lavender or gray in color. They grow tall, interconnecting branches from a single base and resemble a fan.