Scientific name : Eunicella verrucosa
Family : Malacalcyonacea (gorgonians and soft corals)
Size : Up to 50 cm
Distribution : European coasts, from the British Isles to the Mediterranean Sea
Biology : Like corals, gorgonians are fixed animals living in colonies. The major difference between gorgonians and ordinary corals is that gorgonians do not build their skeleton from limestone, but from gorgine, a horn-like protein. The gorgonian is flexible, allowing it to bend with the currents. This also allows the gorgonian to form a very thin and delicate skeleton.
IUCN status : Vulnerable
