Corals and Gorgonians

Marine Life‎ > ‎California‎ > ‎Invertebrates‎ > ‎

Contents

1 Corals
2 Gorgonians
3 Other Colonial Cnidarians
1. 3.1 White Sea Pen

Corals

Brown Cup Coral

Paracyathus stearnsi

(1: Monterey State Beach, Monterey / 2-8: San Carlos Beach, Monterey)

Fluoresces under blue light:

(1-2: San Carlos Beach, Monterey)

Colonial Cup Coral

Coenocyathus bowersi

(1-2: Black Rock, Santa Catalina Island / 3: Coral Gardens, San Clemente Island / 4-5: Seal Cove, San Clemente Island / 6: Arch Point, Santa Barbara Island)

Cup Coral

Astrangia lajollaensis

(1-5: San Carlos Beach, Monterey)

Similar to orange cup coral, but yellower.

Fluoresces under blue light:

(1-4: San Carlos Beach, Monterey)

Octocoral

Alcyonium rudyi

(1: Starlight, Santa Catalina Island / 2-3: Whaler's Cove, Point Lobos)

Orange Cup Coral

Balanophyllia elegans

(1-4,6-8: San Carlos Beach, Monterey / 5: Whaler's Cove, Point Lobos)

These fluoresce under UV light:

(1: San Carlos Beach, Monterey)

This one is unusually yellow:

(1: San Carlos Beach, Monterey)

Yellow Zoanthid

Epizoanthus scotinus

(1-3: Ship Rock, Santa Catalina Island)

Gorgonians

Brown Gorgonian

Muricea fruticosa

(1-2: Black Rock, Santa Catalina Island/ 3: Indian Rock, Santa Catalina Island / 4: Ship Rock, Santa Catalina Island)

California Golden Gorgonian

Muricea californica

(1: Starlight, Santa Catalina Island/ 2-3: Black Rock, Santa Catalina Island / 4: Coral Gardens, San Clemente Island / 5-7: Seal Cove, San Clemente Island / 8: Ship Rock, Santa Catalina Island)

Closeup of polyps:

(1: Ship Rock, Santa Catalina Island)

Purple Gorgonian

Eugorgia rubens

(1: Eel Point, San Clemente Island)

Red Gorgonian

Leptogorgia chilensis

(1: Coral Gardens, San Clemente Island / 2: Sutil Island, Santa Barbara Island / 3-4: Flame Reef, Santa Cruz Island / 5: Arch Point, Santa Barbara Island)