divepix - Sea Plumes spp.

Sea Plumes spp.

Aspect:	Greyish bush of branches opening up like a firework, each carrying pinnately arranged sub-branches that bear the polyps. These extend in opposite directions on either side of the sub-branches.
Population:	Common.
Notable feature:	There are scores of Sea Plumes varieties that are difficult to identify with certainty, unlike the Slimy Sea Plumes (q.v.) that stand out due to a tacky substance their branches exude.
Environment:	Generally on rock or stone in sandy bottom areas gently swept by currents, in shallow and semi-deep waters.
Behaviour:	Polyps often extend in daytime, but touching one will cause almost all others to retract instantaneously.