Preview
Family
Plexauridae
Colony Form
Tall colonies with very long thin branches; to ~80 cm tall.
Axis
Cylindrical in cross-section.
Branches
Cylindrical, flexible and soft, elongated, undivided before reaching 50 cm long or more, with small terminal bulb; 2.0-2.5 mm across.
Apertures
Circular (or oval in dry specimens), on low convex swelling.
Mucus
Can produce a little mucus, but is not slimy.
Color
Beige to white; dries pale beige.
Sclerites
Polyp armature: flat rods of several sizes with some deformations; rods either on polyp base or on tentacles. Axial layer: purple sclerites with conic, stubby, and prominent lateral ornamentation. Middle layer: ornamented spindles ~1 mm and sometimes to 1.8 mm long. Surface layer: abundant torch-like clubs to 0.24 mm long, with thin handle and much acute ornamentation on the head.
Habitat
Oceanic reefs in 20-70 m in depth.
Distribution
Bahamas, Bermuda, South Florida, and uncommon in the Caribbean Sea.
Similar Species
Pseudoplexaura flagellosa; Pseudoplexaura wagenaari; Eunicea knighti
Date Taken
4-11-2016
Notes
There are very few records of the species.