Sea Pen - Virgulariidae

Rojos, Lembeh.
Sea pens are colonial marine cnidarians belonging to the order Pennatulacea. They are grouped with the octocorals ("soft corals"), together with sea whips or gorgonians. The group is named for its supposed resemblance to antique quill pens. Feathery sea pens stand upright in the sand like the quill of a feather. The central axis has flat branch-like extensions on which the polyps are clustered. They are usually white or cream. The peduncle is very long and the entire colony can retract into the sand if disturbed.