Commonly called "Black Corals" because their skeleton material is usually black or brown. In fact, this material is used in the jewelry trade where it's fashioned into necklaces, beads, rings, etc. The skeleton material does not contain calcium, but does contain an elastic horn-like substance similar to that found in gorgonia. Most are found attached to hard substrates in deep areas (150 feet to 900 feet (30 - 300 m)), where their 6 tentacle polyps feed on phytoplankton. Rarely ever seen in the trade and better left in the wild.
Back to Animal Library Index...