General Description

Irregularly branched. Hydranths (individual polyps) pinkish with tentacles white but generally appear uniformly buff coloured from their covering of agglutinated particles. Specimens from deeper water are more uniform pink in colour than those from shallow water. Stems and branches may appear ringed or wrinkled, sometimes smooth in individuals from deeper water. Gonophores (reproductive structures) white.

Biology

This species is often heavily coated in foreign matter on and below the hydranth (individual polyp) as well as on the proximal half of the tetacles. They rarely have nematocysts.

Distribution

Western and southern Australia (South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia).

Habitat

Subtidal, epizoic on bryozoans, ascidians, sponges and other benthic fauna.

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