Sea pens are colonial marine cnidarians belonging to the order Pennatulacea. There are 14 families within the order; 35 extant genera, and it is estimated that of 450 described species, around 200 are valid. Sea pens have a cosmopolitan distribution, being found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide, as well as from the intertidal to depths of more than 6100 m. Sea pens are grouped with the octocorals, together with sea whips (gorgonians).
The sea pansy, Renilla reniformis, is a species of colonial cnidarian in the family Renillidae, part of an octocoral subclass of Anthozoa that inhabit an expansive range of environments. It is native to warm continental shelf waters of the Western Hemisphere. It is frequently found washed ashore on North East Florida beaches following northeasterly winds or rough surf conditions. It also can often be found living intertidally completely buried in the sand. Its predator is the striped sea slug, Armina tigrina.
The clearfin lionfish, also called the tailbar lionfish, radiata lionfish, fireworks fish or radial firefish, is a carnivorous, ray-finned fish with venomous spines that lives in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. This is the only lionfish species which has spines without any markings. It can also be recognized by the pair of horizontal white stripes on its caudal peduncle.
Seashore wildlife habitats exist from the Tropics to the Arctic and Antarctic. Seashores and beaches provide varied habitats in different parts of the world, and even within the same beach. Phytoplankton is at the bottom of some food chains, while zooplankton and other organisms eat phytoplankton. Kelp is also autotrophic and at the bottom of many food chains. Coastal areas are stressed through rapid changes, for example due to tides.
Pierre's armina, scientific name Armina sp., is a species of sea slug, a nudibranch. It is a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Arminidae. This species was undescribed by science as of November 2009.
Phenacovolva rosea, also known as the rosy spindle cowry, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Ovulidae, the ovulids, cowry allies or false cowries. It lives and feeds on fan, whip and bush-type gorgonians.
Blennophis anguillaris, the snaky klipfish, is a species of clinid found in the subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean around South Africa. It can be found in the subtidal zone and also is a denizen of tidepools. This species can reach a maximum length of 30 centimetres (12 in) TL.
Clinus agilis, the agile klipfish, is a species of clinid found in subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Namibia to South Africa where it is commonly found in estuaries and tide pools. This species can reach a maximum length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in).
Clinus venustris, the speckled klipfish, is a species of clinid that occurs in subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Namibia to South Africa where it is found in the subtidal zone as well as being a denizen of tide pools. This species can reach a maximum length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in) TL. and feeds primarily on amphipods, isopods, mysids, and echinoderms.
The purple soft coral is a species of colonial soft coral in the family Alcyoniidae.
The variable soft coral is a species of colonial soft coral in the family Alcyoniidae.
Echinoptilidae is a family of sea pens, a member of the subclass Octocorallia in the phylum Cnidaria.
Lobophyllia hemprichii, commonly called lobed brain coral, lobed cactus coral or largebrain root coral, is a species of large polyp stony coral in the family Lobophylliidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. In its specific name Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg honoured his late partner the Prussian naturalist Wilhelm Hemprich; they were among the first to study the marine life of the Red Sea.
The feathery sea pen is a species of sea pen in the family Virgulariidae.
Leptogorgia sarmentosa is a species of colonial soft coral, a sea fan in the family Gorgoniidae. It is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the western Mediterranean Sea, with a single find in the eastern Mediterranean.
Alcyonium coralloides, commonly known as false coral, is a colonial species of soft coral in the family Alcyoniidae. It is native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. In the former location it generally grows as sheets or small lobes but in the latter it is parasitic and overgrows sea fans.
Pseudoplexaura porosa, commonly known as the porous sea rod or the porous false plexaura, is a species of gorgonian-type colonial octocoral in the family Plexauridae. It is native to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Ptilosarcus gurneyi, the orange sea pen or fleshy sea pen, is a species of sea pen in the family Pennatulidae. It is native to the northeastern Pacific Ocean where it lives in deep water anchored by its base in sand or mud. It has received its common name because of its resemblance to a quill in a bottle of ink.
Seriatopora hystrix is a species of colonial stony coral in the family Pocilloporidae. It forms a branching clump and is commonly known as thin birdsnest coral. It grows in shallow water on fore-reef slopes or in sheltered lagoons, the type locality being the Red Sea. It is native to East Africa, the Red Sea and the western Indo-Pacific region. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
The slender sea pen is a species of sea pen in the family Virgulariidae, occurring throughout the Mediterranean and Western Europe, with some colonies being found on islands in the Mid-Atlantic.
