Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Paramuricea clavata
- Common name
- Red gorgonian
- Category
- Corals
- Family
- Acanthogorgiidae
- Genus
- Paramuricea
- Size
- 30–130 cm
- Depth
- 15–100 m
- IUCN status
- Vulnerable (VU)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- rocky, reef
- Behaviours
- sessile, colonial
- Ocean zones
- East Atlantic, Mediterranean
Description
Paramuricea clavata reaches 1.3 m. Large Mediterranean gorgonian with red-purple polyps, sometimes bicolor (purple base, yellow tips) or entirely yellow. Filter feeder on zooplankton. Attached to shaded vertical rocky drop-offs between 15 and 100 m. Extremely sensitive to marine heatwaves: mass mortality events in 1999, 2003, 2022. IUCN Vulnerable. Photographic icon of Mediterranean coralligenous habitat.
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Red gorgonian?
- Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) reaches 30–130 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Red gorgonian?
- Red gorgonian is found between 15–100 m deep.
- Is the Red gorgonian dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Red gorgonian?
- IUCN status: Vulnerable (VU).
- Where can you find the Red gorgonian?
- Found in: East Atlantic, Mediterranean.
Similar species
- Fungia fungites - Mushroom coral
- Heliopora coerulea - Blue coral
- Corallium rubrum - Red coral
- Eunicella singularis - White gorgonian
- Stylophora pistillata - Smooth cauliflower coral
- Leptogorgia sarmentosa - Warty gorgonian
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 125387)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2261251)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia