Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium palmatum)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Alcyonium palmatum
- Common name
- Dead man's fingers
- Category
- Corals
- Family
- Alcyoniidae
- Genus
- Alcyonium
- Size
- 10–40 cm
- Depth
- 10–200 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- rocky, sand
- Behaviours
- sessile, colonial
- Ocean zones
- East Atlantic, Mediterranean
Description
Alcyonium palmatum forms fleshy orange to vivid yellow or white colonies of 10 to 40 cm, in digitate finger-like lobes. White 8-tentacled polyps forming a star. More tolerant than A. acaule: lives on rocks and pebbles in the Mediterranean and NE Atlantic (Brittany, English Channel). Between 10 and 200 m. Formerly consumed as a food resource in Brittany.
Photo of Dead man's fingers
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Dead man's fingers?
- Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium palmatum) reaches 10–40 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Dead man's fingers?
- Dead man's fingers is found between 10–200 m deep.
- Is the Dead man's fingers dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Dead man's fingers?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Dead man's fingers?
- Found in: East Atlantic, Mediterranean.
Other species in the genus Alcyonium
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 125334)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 5185161)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia