Appearance and lifestyle:
Nippled sea fans (Eunicella microthela) are related to soft corals. They look like small trees, but they are actually colonies of animals (polyps) living together in the shape of a fan. Each polyp has eight feathery tentacles. When the polyps come out to feed, they give the ‘branches’ a fuzzy appearance. They can be pale orange or cream in colour, and they can grow up to 15mm tall and their branches can be 2mm wide.
Habitat:
Nippled sea fans can be seen in caves or on the sides of boulders, which are sheltered from strong currents. They live in warm and cold water, from Lüderitz to Sodwana at depths of up to 360m.
Diet:
Nippled sea fans are filter feeders that feed on zooplankton, phytoplankton and organic particles.
Threats:
Climate change, pollution, physical damage etc.