|
Ptilosarcus gurneyi (Sea pen)
Copyright © 2008
Mary Jo Adams
Because the sea pen is a subtidal species, we do not find it on Island County beaches when we do our intertidal surveys. It is not unusual however to find it washed up after storms and we get questions from people wanting to know what they have found.
This species varies in color from pale to deep orange. It has a feather-like appearance and when extended with water, can reach a length of 19 in. (48 cm.). These are colonial animals and like anemones and coral, belong to the phylum Cnidaria. Their subtidal range extends to a depth of 330 feet (100 m.). This species inhabits areas of muddy sand where the lower part of the stalk is buried in the substrate to anchor it in place. Tiny polyps along the branches extend minute tentacles into the water to filter feed. Sea pens can produce a greenish bioluminescence.
The orange sea pen is also known under the common names sea feather, fleshy sea pen, Gurney’s sea pen, and stout sea pen. It has also been known under the scientific names Ptilosarcus verrilli, Ptilosarcus tenuis, Ptilosarcus quadrangulare, Leioptilus gurneyi, Leioptilus quadrangularis, and Leioptilus quadrangulare.
This
page was created by Mary Jo Adams on 11/5/08.
|
