sea fan

noun

any of certain anthozoans, especially Gorgonia flabellum, of the West Indies, in which the colony assumes a fanlike form.

sea fan

any of various corals of the genus Gorgonia and related genera, having a treelike or fan-shaped horny skeleton: order Gorgonacea (gorgonians)

Origin of sea fan¹

First recorded in 1625–35

Bright sunlight filtered through the turquoise water, and a sea fan swayed in the current.

Down I went, and I came right down on a small sea-fan, which I grabbed instantly.

In Fig. 43 we have the Sea Fan magnified to twice its natural size, showing the curious details of its organization.

The network of its interstices with its unequal and serried meshes, resembling fine lace, have led to its designation of Sea Fan.

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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