Encrusting gorgonian
Erythropodium caribaeorum
Where at Shedd?
Wonder of Water
| Diet | Very small animals and plant-like organisms called zooplankton and phytoplankton, organic matter, photosynthesis with symbiotic zooxanthellae |
|---|---|
| Size | Colonies spread up to 3 feet (.9 meters) wide |
| Type | Corals & Anemones |
| Range | Coral reef areas in the West-Central Atlantic Ocean |
| Habitat | Inhabits reef areas of the western Atlantic Ocean including Florida, Bahamas and the Caribbean Sea at depths of 3 to 300 feet |
Did you know?
- After retracting its long, thin tentacles, this coral appears smooth and leathery like a ball.
- Rooted in one place, adult corals cannot chase down their prey. But stinging cells on a coral polyp’s tentacles can harpoon plankton. Then, fine hairs and mucus on the coral polyp’s body carry the plankton to the animal’s mouth.
- Want to help coral in the wild? Even if you live thousands of miles away, there are things we can do to help like working with your community to conserve water. By using less, we limit the amount of pollution entering our waterways.