THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

Remarks: Can retract polyps individually in
response to attack.
Finger Sea Fan
Diodogorgia nodulifera (Anthothelidae)
Distribution: Western Atlantic Ocean.
Habitat: Hard surfaces on low profile reefs in
deep water, 25 m or more.
Appearance: Two color variations: bright
yellow-orange with red and white polyps, and
red to purple with white polyps, like those
on display. Sclerites support the smooth, stiff
branches.
Diet: Lacking zooxanthellae, this sea rod feeds
exclusively on zooplankton, and must be feed
by hand in an aquarium setting.
Reproduction and Development: Most often,
brittle branches fragment and form new
colonies.
Remarks: This handsome gorgonian is popular
in aquaria, but requires expert care.
Encrusting Gorgonian
Erythropodium caribaeorum (Anthothelidae)
Distribution: Caribbean, south Florida and
Bahamas.
Habitat: Reefs, especially shallow fringe, patch
and back reefs, 1–30 m.
Appearance: Colonies form encrusting tancolored
mats. Extended polyps and tentacles
are fine and hair-like. When polyps retract,
surface is smooth and leathery. Size 7.5–90
cm.
Diet: Nutrition primarily from zooxanthellae.
As in many gorgonians, tan color a result of
endosymbiotic zooxanthellae.
Remarks: Able to kill stony corals and other
gorgonians by encrusting. Its nematocysts
(stinging cells) can kill most stony corals by
their touch.
Gorgonians are far more common in the
Caribbean than in the Philippines.
A different species of Erythropodium is found
in the Indo-Pacific.
Warty Sea Rod aka Swollen-knob
Candelabrum
Eunicea mammosa (Plexauridae)
Distribution: Southern Florida, Bahamas and
Caribbean.
Habitat: Shallow, turbulent hard substrates,
California Academy of Sciences
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patch reefs, outer reefs, wall lips. Depth range
is 1.5–27 m.
Appearance: Light yellowish brown
candelabrum shaped colonies. Colonies
compact with stout branches. Close-set, tubular
calyces that give a knobby appearance when
polyps are closed. Colonies to 30 cm. height.
Diet: Microcarnivore. Like most gorgonians,
the zooxanthellae in the tissue of the polyps
aid in nutrition.
Among gorgonians, the Plexauridae is one of
the largest families
Sea Rods
Plexaura spp. (Plexauridae)
Distribution: South Florida, Bahamas,
Caribbean.
Habitat: Clear water patch reefs from 1.2–45
m depth.
Appearance: Some Plexaura sea rods may grow
in flat, vertical planes with only occasional
dichotomous branching when small, becoming
bushy with age. May grow to 1.2 m or more.
When polyps are retracted, area around
apertures is flat or protrudes only slightly.
Colors variable.
Diet: Feed mainly on the products of
zooxanthellae.
Reproduction and Development: Reach
maximum size in 10–30 years.
Remarks: Gorgo is Greek for “grim, fierce,
terrible,” a reference to the myth of three
sisters, the Gorgons (Medusa being the most
famous of the siblings), with snakes for hair.
Plexaura homomalla, common in the Caribbean,
has been found to contain high levels of
prostaglandin, which may induce vomiting
and subsequent learned aversion in predators.
This steroid is more usually found in mammals;
in humans it controls contraction and dilation
of blood vessels, protects the lining of the
stomach, and reduces inflammation.
Slit-pore Sea Rod
Plexaurella spp. (Plexauridae)
Distribution: Southern Florida, Bahamas,
Caribbean.
Habitat: Clearwater patch and fore reefs at
depths of 9–50 m.
Appearance: Similar in appearance to Plexaura
spp., but usually somewhat slimmer. Colonies