Sea Fan (Gorgonian)
Subergorgia mollis
Sighting evidence at Planet Rock, Madang
Enormous sea fans up to 2 meters across dominate Planet Rock's deeper walls, oriented perpendicular to the prevailing current to maximize their filtration of passing zooplankton through their polyp-studded branches. These long-lived organisms — some individuals exceeding 100 years — create complex three-dimensional habitat that supports dozens of commensal species including pygmy seahorses, longnose hawkfish, and clingfish that spend their entire lives on a single fan.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Sea Fan (Gorgonian) is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.