Sea Fan Photos

Plexauridae sea fan or gorgonian on coral reef. This gorgonian is a type of colonial alcyonacea soft coral that filters plankton from passing ocean currents.
Species: Gorgonian, Gorgonacea
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34707  

A northern elephant seal hovers underwater over a rocky bottom along the coastline of Guadalupe Island.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 03505  

Plexauridae sea fan or gorgonian on coral reef. This gorgonian is a type of colonial alcyonacea soft coral that filters plankton from passing ocean currents.
Species: Gorgonian, Gorgonacea
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34712  

Beautiful South Pacific coral reef, with Plexauridae sea fans, schooling anthias fish and colorful dendronephthya soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34716  

Colorful Chironephthya soft coral coloniea in Fiji, hanging off wall, resembling sea fans or gorgonians.
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34718  

Beautiful South Pacific coral reef, with Plexauridae sea fans, schooling anthias fish and colorful dendronephthya soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34726  

Colorful and exotic coral reef in Fiji, with soft corals, hard corals, anthias fishes, anemones, and sea fan gorgonians.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34739  

Anthias fishes school in strong currents over a Fijian coral reef, with various hard and soft corals, sea fans and anemones on display. Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34741  

Juvenile Northern Elephant Seal Underwater, Coronado Islands, Mexico.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico
Image ID: 36465  

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  

Red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Gorgonians are typically oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: Red gorgonian, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38496  

Red Gorgonians form a lush colorful garden below a submarine arch, while two scuba divers pass through the opening to the cavern.
Species: Red gorgonian, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 38497  

Beautiful South Pacific coral reef, with gorgonian sea fans, schooling anthias fish and colorful dendronephthya soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Black sun coral, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias, Tubastrea micrantha
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 31312  

Spectacular pristine tropical reef with vibrant colorful soft corals. Dendronephthya soft corals, crinoids, sea fan gorgonians and schooling Anthias fishes, pulsing with life in a strong current over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
Species: Anthias, Black sun coral, Crinoid feather star, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Crinoidea, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias, Tubastrea micrantha
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31313  

Spectacular pristine tropical reef with vibrant colorful soft corals. Dendronephthya soft corals, crinoids, sea fan gorgonians and schooling Anthias fishes, pulsing with life in a strong current over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
Species: Anthias, Crinoid feather star, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Crinoidea, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31320  

Beautiful South Pacific coral reef, with Plexauridae sea fans, schooling anthias fish and colorful dendronephthya soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Sea fan, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Plexauridae, Pseudanthias
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31321  

Sea fan gorgonian and schooling Anthias on pristine and beautiful coral reef, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Gorgonian, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Wakaya Island, Lomaiviti Archipelago, Fiji
Image ID: 31311  

Bull elephant seal exits the water to retake his position on the beach. He shows considerable scarring on his chest and proboscis from many winters fighting other males for territory and rights to a harem of females. Sandy beach rookery, winter, Central California.
Species: Elephant seal, Mirounga angustirostris
Location: Piedras Blancas, San Simeon, California
Image ID: 15458  

Garibaldi and golden gorgonian, with a underwater forest of giant kelp rising in the background, underwater.
Species: California golden gorgonian, Garibaldi, Hypsypops rubicundus, Muricea californica
Location: Catalina Island, California
Image ID: 23432  

Spectacular pristine tropical reef with vibrant colorful soft corals. Dendronephthya soft corals, crinoids, sea fan gorgonians and schooling Anthias fishes, pulsing with life in a strong current over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
Species: Anthias, Crinoid feather star, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Crinoidea, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 31310  

Bryozoan grows on a red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: Red gorgonian, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 25395  

Red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Species: Red gorgonian, Leptogorgia chilensis, Lophogorgia chilensis
Location: San Clemente Island, California
Image ID: 25393  

Golden Damselfish and Red Gorgonian Sea Fan, Fiji.
Species: Golden damselfish, Gorgonian, Amblyglyphidodon aureus, Gorgonacea
Location: Makogai Island, Lomaiviti Archipelago, Fiji
Image ID: 31337  

Colorful Chironephthya soft coral coloniea in Fiji, hanging off wall, resembling sea fans or gorgonians.
Species: Chironephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Chironephthya, Gorgonacea
Location: Vatu I Ra Passage, Bligh Waters, Viti Levu Island, Fiji
Image ID: 31361  

Red whip coral, Ellisella ceratophyta, Fiji.
Species: Whip coral, Ellisella ceratophyta
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34748  

Plexauridae sea fan or gorgonian on coral reef. This gorgonian is a type of colonial alcyonacea soft coral that filters plankton from passing ocean currents.
Species: Gorgonian, Gorgonacea
Location: Bligh Waters, Fiji
Image ID: 34750  

Beautiful South Pacific coral reef, with Plexauridae sea fans, schooling anthias fish and colorful dendronephthya soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Namena Marine Reserve, Namena Island, Fiji
Image ID: 34753  

Colorful and exotic coral reef in Fiji, with soft corals, hard corals, anthias fishes, anemones, and sea fan gorgonians.
Species: Anthias, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34760  

Colorful and exotic coral reef in Fiji, with soft corals, hard corals, anthias fishes, anemones, and sea fan gorgonians.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Dendronephthya, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34763  

Beautiful South Pacific coral reef, with Plexauridae sea fans, schooling anthias fish and colorful dendronephthya soft corals, Fiji.
Species: Anthias, Dendronephthya soft coral, Gorgonian, Dendronephthya, Gorgonacea, Pseudanthias
Location: Fiji
Image ID: 34765