Gorgonian sea fan

Photo: fabri · CC BY-NC

Eunicella cavolini is the dominant gorgonian of shallow Mediterranean walls above 30 m, forming yellow fans up to 50 cm across that orient perpendicular to the prevailing current to maximise zooplankton capture. At Cape Stavros, dozens of colonies cluster on every prominent ledge, their polyps extended in the mild drift creating the appearance of a slow-motion golden meadow streaming in the current. The species provides microhabitat for the commensal snail Neosimnia spelta, whose shell matches the coral's colouration so precisely it requires a sharp eye to distinguish from the gorgonian polyps.