Polyp Photos

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34715  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34729  

Sarcophyton leather coral polyp detail, close up view, Fiji.
Species: Sarcophyton soft coral, Sarcophyton
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34730  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34731  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34738  

Parasitic zoanthid anemones cover, encrust and overwhelm a golden gorgonian. The gorgonian on the left has been completely parasitized by zoanthid anemones, while the gorgonian to the right remains free of zoanthids (for now). A garibaldi swims below the two sea fans. 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.
Species: California golden gorgonian, Luminescent parazoanthid, Zoanthid anemone, Giant kelp, Muricea californica, Parazoanthus lucificum, Savalia lucifica, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38493  

Corynactis anemone polyp, a corallimorph, extends its arms into passing ocean currents to catch food.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 33472  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Makogai Island, Lomaiviti Archipelago, Fiji
Image ID: 31453  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Makogai Island, Lomaiviti Archipelago, Fiji
Image ID: 31455  

Acorn Barnacle extends to feed in ocean current, amid colony of Corynactis anemones.
Species: Acorn barnacle, Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica, Megabalanus californicus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 33455  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34744  

Bubble coral polyp detail, Plerogyra sinuosa, Fiji.
Species: Bubble coral, Plerogyra sinuosa
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34745  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34771  

Red gorgonian and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. 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.
Species: Red gorgonian, California golden gorgonian, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis, Muricea californica
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38499  

Corynactis anemone polyp, a corallimorph, extends its arms into passing ocean currents to catch food.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 33476  

The corallimorph Corynactis californica, similar to both stony corals and anemones, is typified by a wide oral disk and short tentacles that radiate from the mouth. The tentacles grasp food passing by in ocean currents.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 37212  

The corallimorph Corynactis californica, similar to both stony corals and anemones, is typified by a wide oral disk and short tentacles that radiate from the mouth. The tentacles grasp food passing by in ocean currents.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 37215  

A corynactis anemone polyp, Corynactis californica is a corallimorph found in genetically identical clusters, club-tipped anemone.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 33453  

Acorn Barnacle extends to feed in ocean current, amid colony of Corynactis anemones.
Species: Acorn barnacle, Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica, Megabalanus californicus
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 33473  

Corynactis anemone polyp, a corallimorph, extends its arms into passing ocean currents to catch food.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 33474  

The corallimorph Corynactis californica, similar to both stony corals and anemones, is typified by a wide oral disk and short tentacles that radiate from the mouth. The tentacles grasp food passing by in ocean currents.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 37201  

The corallimorph Corynactis californica, similar to both stony corals and anemones, is typified by a wide oral disk and short tentacles that radiate from the mouth. The tentacles grasp food passing by in ocean currents.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 37208  

Corynactis anemone polyp, a corallimorph, extends its arms into passing ocean currents to catch food.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 33475  

The corallimorph Corynactis californica, similar to both stony corals and anemones, is typified by a wide oral disk and short tentacles that radiate from the mouth. The tentacles grasp food passing by in ocean currents.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: San Diego, California
Image ID: 37202  

Red gorgonian Leptogorgia chilensis. The lower sea fan has its polyps retracted while the upper sea fan has all of its polyps extended into the current. Farnsworth Banks, Catalina Island, California.
Species: Red gorgonian, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 37266  

Corynactis anemones on Oil Rig Elly underwater structure.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: Long Beach, California
Image ID: 31121  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34810  

Sarcophyton leather coral polyp detail, close up view, Fiji.
Species: Sarcophyton soft coral, Sarcophyton
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34818  

Dendronephthya soft coral detail including polyps and calcium carbonate spicules, Fiji.
Species: Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34873  

Bubble coral polyp detail, Plerogyra sinuosa, Fiji.
Species: Bubble coral, Plerogyra sinuosa
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34874