Feathery sea pen
The feathery sea pen (Virgularia schultzei) is a species of sea pen in the family Virgulariidae.[2][3]
| Feathery sea pen | |
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| Feathery sea pen | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Octocorallia |
| Order: | Pennatulacea |
| Family: | Virgulariidae |
| Genus: | Virgularia |
| Species: | V. schultzei |
| Binomial name | |
| Virgularia schultzei Kukenthal, 1910[1] | |
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 entire colony can retract into the sand if disturbed. This species may grow to 50 cm in height and is about 1 cm wide.[4]
Distribution and habitat
The Feathery Sea Pen is known from Luderitz in Namibia and round the southern African coast to central Mozambique in 6-222m under water. It lives in sand and feeds on micro-plankton.
References
- van Ofwegen, L. (2015). Virgularia schultzei. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-12-31
- Williams G.C., (1990) The Pennatulacea of southern Africa (Coelenterata, Anthozoa). Annals Of The South African Museum. 99(4): 31-119, Cape Town. ISBN 0 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, G. (2008) A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9
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