Whip fan


The whip fan, also called the flagellar sea fan, is a species of gorgonian sea fan in the family Gorgoniidae.

Description

This fan is orange and has flexible whip-like branches. It may grow up to 70 cm tall and have branches of 0.3 to 0.5 cm wide.

Distribution

This sea fan is found only around the South African coast from the Atlantic side of the Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth in 10–30 m of water. It is endemic to this region.

Ecology

This sea fan is preyed upon by the whip fan nudibranch, Tritonia nilsodhneri, which closely resembles the feeding fan.