Leptogorgia setacea

Size

Colony height: 183cm (72") Branch diameter: 1.3cm (0.5")

Recognition Characters

Stems or branches are long, whiplike, tough, pitted with small, evenly distributed pores.

Color

Purple, red, yellow, orange or tan; polyps are translucent white.

Habitat & Depth

Attached to rocks and other hard substrates mixed with sand. Shallow intertidal to 20m.

Distribution at GRNMS

Rare. More common on shallower reefs.

Geographic Range

Chesapeake Bay south to Florida, parts of the Caribbean reaching Brazil

Behavior & Notes

Can be distinguished from closely related Leptogorgia virgulata because L. setacea is straight, unbranched, larger, and taller.

Synonyms

References

Meinkoth 1981