Melithaea

Scientific name : Melithaea

Beautiful gorgonian, forming large, densely branched fans, sometimes bushes made up by many parallel fans. The branches are dichotomous, sometimes can be fuse, net-like. The main branches are formed by horny inflated parts (nodes) and calcareous cyliders (internodes), typically alternating. Polyps are retractile in calyces. Colony colours can be red, orange, yellow, white. Often the colours of coenenchime, calices and polyps are costrastating. Height up to 2 m. The structure of the branches, with alternating thinner internodes and thicker nodes, make this species difficult to confound.

Associated organisms
With commensal shrimps like Periclimenes psamathe, Hamodactylus boschmai, Hamodactylus noumeae, crabs like Xenocarcinus conicus, gobies, ovulids, hawk fishes like Oxycirrhithes typus.

Author MASSIMO BOYER Id: 7