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ALEXANDRE MEINESZ

Orange sea whip

In Dive.Explo360: Mediterranean · Northeast Atlantic · Atlantic Ocean

On the seabed, the Orange sea whip catches the eye with its warm colours and delicate outline. Unlike neatly arranged sea fans, its flexible branches reach in all directions. It captures plankton carried by the current and quietly enriches life on soft seabeds.

Habitat de Orange sea whip Habitat
Sand, Detrital bottom, Rocky habitat
Profondeur de Orange sea whip Depth
10-250 m
Groupe biologique de Orange sea whip Group
Cnidarian
Rôle écologique de Orange sea whip Role
Filter feeder, Ecosystem engineer

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

This sea whip forms flexible fan-shaped or open bush-shaped colonies made up of slender, flexible branches. Its colouring varies from yellow-orange to reddish according to the individual and lighting conditions. The very small polyps are distributed all around the axes and may be more or less visible depending on how far they extend. Together they form a light structure, often irregular and not confined to a single plane.

WHERE DOES IT LIVE?

It is mainly encountered in the Mediterranean on soft or detrital seabeds, but also near rocky areas. It attaches to hard objects such as pebbles or shell debris buried in the sediment, generally at intermediate to considerable depths.

WHAT DOES IT EAT?

It feeds by filtering the surrounding water. Its polyps catch suspended organic particles and plankton, providing food for the whole colony.

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Other species — Cnidarian

Tube-dwelling anemone Black Coral Red Coral White sea fan Yellow sea fan Red gorgonian Pink sea fan Feather hydroid

Same habitat and depth

Sandy seabed species Detrital seabed species Rocky seabed species

Same ecological role and depth

Filter-feeding species Ecosystem engineer species

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