Appearance and lifestyle:
Palmate sea fans (Leptogorgia palma) 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. Although they only grow 15mm per year, these sea fans can reach 2m in height. Divers may be lucky to discover underwater “forests” of palmate sea fans. Large colonies are often over 100 years old. Palmate sea fans can be vivid orange, orange-red or brick red in colour.
Habitat:
Palmate sea fans live in rocky reefs, and they are found in areas that have strong water movements.
Diet:
Palmate sea fans are filter feeders that feed on plankton and organic particles.
Threats:
Climate change, pollution, physical damage etc.