Yellow Gorgonian Eunicella cavolinii

Share
Rates: 5

Yellow Gorgonian, Eunicella cavolinii, commonly known as the yellow sea whip, is a species of colonial soft coral in the family Gorgoniidae. It is native to parts of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Ionian Sea where it is a common species. Eunicella cavolinii is a much-branched soft coral growing to a height of about 50 cm. It is fan-shaped with the irregular, cylindrical branches largely growing in a single plane. The stem has an enlarged base fixed to the substrate and the branches are smooth, short and about 3 mm thick. The coenechyme (the thin fleshy covering of the stiff skeleton) is yellowish-orange. The polips are white to yellow, about 2 mm and arranged in four rows. gorgonia gialla eunicella cavolinii

Yellow Gorgonian - yellow sea whip - Gorgonia gialla - Eunicella cavolinii - www.intotheblue.it

Yellow Gorgonian – yellow sea whip – Gorgonia gialla – Eunicella cavolinii – www.intotheblue.it

Eunicella cavolinii can be confused with the warty gorgonian Eunicella verrucosa, but that sea fan has rougher branches, or with Leptogorgia sarmentosa, but that species has straighter, more slender branches with smaller polyps. Eunicella cavolinii is common throughout the Mediterranean Sea. It grows mainly between 10 and 30 m. but can be found as deep as 150 m. It is normally found in a shallower zone than the violescent sea-whip (Paramuricea clavata). It is often found growing in association with other soft corals, sponges, polychaete worms, bryozoans, barnacles and winged oysters.

Yellow Gorgonian - yellow sea whip - Gorgonia gialla - Eunicella cavolinii - www.intotheblue.it

Yellow Gorgonian – yellow sea whip – Gorgonia gialla – Eunicella cavolinii – www.intotheblue.it

The polyps expand their tentacles to catch zooplankton. The food fragments are passed to the mouth and then move into the gut to be digested. The nutrients are then transferred to all parts of the colony via channels in the living matrix of the branches. The fan is usually orientated perpendicular to the current so as to maximise the capture of prey. Colonies are either male or female and breeding takes place during the summer. Polyps in male colonies liberate sperm into the water and the eggs are fertilised inside the gastric chambers of female polyps in other colonies.

Yellow Gorgonian - yellow sea whip - Gorgonia gialla - Eunicella cavolinii - www.intotheblue.it

Yellow Gorgonian – yellow sea whip – Gorgonia gialla – Eunicella cavolinii – www.intotheblue.it

The embryos develop into planula larvae which are released into the sea. After drifting as part of the plankton for one to four weeks, these settle on suitable surface and undergo metamorphosis into new polyps. These develop into new colonies by budding. The growth rate is slow, at about 1 to 2 cm. per year.

(extract from Wikipedia)

Questo slideshow richiede JavaScript.

 

Informazioni sull'autore / About the author:
Fanino Cirivasi Fanino Cirivasi ha scritto / wrote 244 articoli / Posts.
Questo articolo è stato scritto il / This article was written on 15/09/2024
%d blogger hanno fatto clic su Mi Piace per questo: