Phylum Cnidaria > Class Anthozoa > Subclass Alcyonaria/Octocorallia > Order Gorgonacea
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

Tuas, Dec 11


Squid egg capsules attached to the sea fan.
Changi, Jul 17

Winged oyster on the sea fan.
Beting Bronok, Aug 15

Tiny colourful brittle stars on the sea fan.
Chek Jawa, Jul 15

*
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
On wildsingapore flickr

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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