Yellow sea whip
Pterogorgia citrina
(Esper, 1792)
Description:
Small, shrubby colonies with lateral branching. End branches are stiff, slender and strongly flattened, almost rectangular, 1.5 by 2.5 mm. Slit like apertures are arranged in rows only along the thin edge of the branch. An average-size colony is 17 cm in height although specimens of 46 cm are reported.
Color:
The branches are bright yellow, green to olive, with purple edges. Sometimes the colony may be completely purple; polyps white to cream.
Habitat:
Inhabit a wide range of shallow, inshore environments, depth range from 1 to 10 m.
Distribution:
Common South Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean.