Pennatulacea Verrill 1865

Description: Sea pen Virgularia mirabilis Item Type: Image Title: Virgularia mirabilis Species: Virgularia mirabilis Site: Atlantic -- North Sea -- West of Shetland -- LagganNorth Sea -- West of Shetland -- Laggan Site Description: Seafloor Depth (m): 96 Latitude: 60 deg 30' 32" N Longitude: 0 deg 42' 27" E Countries: UK -- West of Shetland Habitat: Benthic Rig: Fugro Mercator Project Partners: Total ROV: Seaeye Tiger Deposited By: Miss Moira MacLean Deposited On: 29 October 2010

Another photo. Note that the polyps are arranged in flaplike rows on the plume. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2005

This closeup shows the individual polyps lining the rows. A small majid crab has climbed aboard, and may be nipping at the polyps, though the crab's activity did not stimulate Ptilosarcus to close.

Buds seem to be growing off 3 of the laminae on the right side of the plume of this individual. Does Ptilosarcus do any budding for reproduction? Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2005

(Ptilosarcus gurneyi from Rosario Bay. Approximate length 25 cm) (Photo by: Dave Cowles August 2004)

sea pen

Sea Pen Cavernulina species

Sea Pen Cavernulina species close

Sea Pen close up showing 8 tentacular corallum

Sea Pen Pteroeides species

Sea Pen Pteroeides species

Sea Pen Pteroeides species

Sea Pen Pteroeides species

Sea Pen Pteroeides species

Sea Pen Pteroeides species

Sea Pen Pteroeides species

Sea Pen Pteroeides species

Sea Pen Pteroeides species

Sea Pen Pteroeides species maybe

Sea Pen Pteroeides species retracting

Sea Pen Pteroeides species smashed

Sea Pen Sclerobelemnon species

Sea Pen Sclerobelemnon species

Sea Pen Sclerobelemnon species