Black Sea Rod

Description:

A gorgonian-type octocoral (a soft-coral with polyps containing 8 tentacles). Tend to branch laterally, with only occasional dichotomous branching. Grows to a height of about 35 cm (14 in). Central stalks are black or dark brown with contrasting cream-colored, yellow, or pale brown polyps.

Habitat:

Found growing on reefs in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas and Florida. It grows at depths down to about 55 m (180 ft).

Notes:

Spotted while snorkeling in the Caribbean for a Marine Biology course focused on coral reef sampling.