Dead Mans Fingers (Alcyonium Palmatum)

Latin name: Alcyonium palmatum
Common name: Dead man's fingers
Also known as: Soft coral
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Alcyonacea
Family: Alcyoniidae
Genus: Alcyonium

Habitat: They attach to hard substrates.

Behaviour & size: This species forms slender and upright branching colonies up to 12cm tall. The polyps tend only to extend during strong currant surges or at night.

Colour: The body colour can vary from pale yellow and orange to red, but the polyps are always white.

Enemies: Heavily preyed upon by several nudibranch species.

Protected under Gibraltar's Nature Protection Ordinance