Candelabra
sea fan
Euplexaura sp.*
Family Plexauridae
updated
Dec 2019
Where
seen? This orange sea fan with U-shaped branches that resemble
a candelabra are often seen on a wide range of Northern shores, including
Changi and the East Coast. On rocks and coral rubble near the low
water mark.
Features: 10-15cm tall. Colony
generally branched on one plane, the branches are sparse and rather
long, emerging in a U-shape so the entire colony resembles a candelabra.
But some with very long stems may appear tangled. Stems cylindrical
with rounded tips, all stems about the same diameter. Colours
usually orange, although the colony may appear whitish if the polyps are fully expanded. The white polyps are relatively large (0.5cm) and
emerge all around the stem. The white polyps can retract completely
into the stem.
Animals seen on the sea fan include Winged oysters, tiny colourful brittle stars and squid egg capsules. |
Beting Bronok, May 06
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Tuas, Dec 11
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*Species
are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external
features for convenience of display.
Candelabra
sea fans on Singapore shores |
Links
References
- Fabricius,
Katharina and Philip Alderslade, 2001. Soft
Corals and Sea Fans.
Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Museum and Art
Gallery of the Northern Territoriy. 264 pp.
- Goh, N.K.C.
and Chou, L.M. 20 December 1996. An
annotated checklist of the gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia)
of Singapore, with a discussion of gorgonian diversity in the
Indo-West Pacific. Raffles
Museum Bulletin of Zoology Pp. 435-459.
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