Feathery sea pen
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| feathery sea pen | |
|---|---|
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| feathery sea pen | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Anthozoa |
| Subclass: | Octocorallia |
| Order: | Pennatulacea |
| Suborder: | Subsessiliflorae |
| Family: | Virgulariidae |
| Genus: | Virgularia |
| Species: | V. schultzei |
| Binomial name | |
| Virgularia schultzei Kukenthal, 1910[1] | |
The feathery sea pen, Virgularia schultzei, is a species of sea pen in the family Virgulariidae.[2][3]
Description
Feathery sea pens stand upright in the sand like the quill of a feather. The central axis has flat branch-like extensions on which the polyps are clustered. They are usually white or cream. The peduncle is very long and the entiure colony can retract into the sand if disturbed. They may grow to 50cm in height and are about 1cm wide.[4]
Distribution
This species is known from Luderitz in Namibia and round the southern African coast to central Mozambique in 6-222m under water.
Ecology
Lives in sand. Feeds on microplankton.
References
- ↑ http://marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=213070 accessed 23 July 2013
- ↑ The Pennatulacea of Southern Africa (Coelenterata, Anthozoa), Annals of the South African Museum Volume 99 May 1990 part 4, Cape Town. ISBN0 86813 109 1
- ↑ Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 978-1-77007-772-0
- ↑ Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN978-0-620-41639-9
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