Pipe-cleaner Black Coral

Found growing as a single bushy frond, expanding to look like a giant pipe cleaner, over coral and rocky reefs.

This species is host to the granulose black coral crab - Quadrella granulosa.

They are called Black Corals because the inner skeleton is black, over this they have a fleshy skin that varies in colour with the different corals.
The polyps have six tentacles which although cannot be retracted, may shrink if disturbed.
A number of other animals live in the branches, e.g. Pteria penquin (Winged pearl oyster), Lopha cristagalli (Cock's comb oyster), Periclimenes sp.(Black coral shrimp).