Juvenile Sheephead and California golden gorgonian, Semicossyphus pulcher

California golden gorgonian and small juvenile sheephead fishes on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by. San Clemente Island, USA, Semicossyphus pulcher, natural history stock photograph, photo id 30903
California golden gorgonian and small juvenile sheephead fishes on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by. San Clemente Island, USA

Species: California sheephead wrasse, Semicossyphus pulcher
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 30903
Format: Digital 3:2
Keywords: algae, animal, animalia, california, california golden gorgonian, channel islands, coral, creature, environment, fish, gorgonian, habitat, invertebrate, island, kelp forest, marine, marine invertebrate, marine plant, muricea californica, nature, ocean, oceans, offshore, outdoors, outside, pacific, pacific ocean, plant, san clemente island, scene, scenery, scenic, sea, sea fan, semicossyphus pulcher, sheephead, soft coral, southern channel islands, submarine, underwater, usa, wildlife, wrasse
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