Juergen Freund / Fan corals (Gorgonacea) on the coral wall. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / A massive Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the shallows with the foliage of the trees visible through the water above. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February.

Juergen Freund / Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the shallows, surrounded by mangrove roots and tiny fish. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February.

Juergen Freund / Fan corals (Gorgonacea) and Soft corals (Alceonacea) in the reef, surrounded by reef fish. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January.

Juergen Freund / Close-up of Fan coral (Euplexaura sp) Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / A massive Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the shallows with the foliage of the trees visible through the water above. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February.

Juergen Freund / A massive Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the shallows with the foliage of the trees visible through the water above. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February.

Juergen Freund / A massive Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the shallows with the a dive boat visible through the water above. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February.

Juergen Freund / Fan coral (Gorgonacea) with open polyps. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Snake stars / brittle stars (Ophiothela danae), hundreds entwined on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Denise's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) in its fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Coral hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus) patrolling a fan coral. Hawkfish often hunt pygmy seahorses that live on this fan. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Split-level shot of a massive Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the shallows and the foliage of the trees above. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010.

Juergen Freund / Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) swimming around a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Snake stars / brittle stars (Ophiothela danae), hundreds entwined on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Snake stars / brittle stars (Ophiothela danae), hundreds entwined on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Lyretail anthias / Sea goldie (Pseudanthias squamipinnis) female swimming around a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Fan coral (Gorgonacea) with open polyps. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) camouflaged in a fancoral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Tunicates (Tunicata), soft corals (Alcyonacea) and fan corals (Gorgonacea) overgrowing a reef. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Tunicates (Tunicata), soft corals (Alcyonacea) and fan corals (Gorgonacea) overgrowing a reef. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Fan coral (Gorgonacea) with open polyps. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Denise's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) in its fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) camouflaged in a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Green urn sea squirts / tunicates (Atriolum robustum) on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the shallows. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January.

Juergen Freund / Colorful coral reef with Soft corals (Alcyonacea) and Fan corals (Gorgonacea). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January.

Juergen Freund / Red whip corals / sea whips (Ellisella sp) Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea, Indo-pacific.

Juergen Freund / Split-level shot of Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the shallow mangrove area. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Fan corals (Gorgonacea) in the reef. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February

Juergen Freund / Pink Fan coral (Gongonacea) in the reef shallows. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Juergen Freund / Pink Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the reef shallows. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Juergen Freund / Fan corals (Gorgonacea) and Feather star (Crinoidea) in the reef shallows. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Juergen Freund / Fan corals (Gorgonacea) and Feather star (Crinoidea) in the reef shallows. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Juergen Freund / Split-level shot of Fan corals (Gorgonacea) and Feather star (Crinoidea) in the reef shallows. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010

Juergen Freund / Fan corals (Gorgonacea) with Feather stars (Crinoidea) in the reef shallows. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Juergen Freund / Nudibranch (Nembrotha cristata) on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Denise's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) on a red sea whip. Its usual habitat is a fan coral where it is much better camouflaged. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Fan corals, soft corals and tunicates on coarl reef. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Juergen Freund / Colorful coral reef with soft corals (Alcyonacea) and fan corals (Gorgonacea). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Large fan coral (Muricella sp) Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Juergen Freund / Colorful coral reef with soft corals (Alcyonacea) and fan corals (Gorgonacea). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Juergen Freund / Colorful coral reef with soft corals (Alcyonacea) and fan corals (Gorgonacea). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Hundreds of tiny Snake stars / Brittle stars (Ophiothela danae) entwined on a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Featherstar (Crinoidea) on a fan coral (Gorgonacea). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Denise's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) well-camouflaged in its fan coral home. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Fan corals (Gorgonacea) on the coral wall with diver in the background. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010

Juergen Freund / Soft corals (Alceonacea) amidst a fan coral (Gorconacea). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Georgette Douwma / Coral reef scenery with Gorgonian, Soft Corals and Lyretail anthias (Pseudanthias squamipinnis). Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia, October.

Georgette Douwma / Porcelain Crab (Neopetrolisthes maculatus) with feeding setae fans visible, amongst tentacles of anemone. Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia, October.

Georgette Douwma / Coral reef with Gorgonian, soft corals and Lyretail anthias, (Pseudanthias squamipinnis). Komodo National Park, Indonesia, October.

David Shale / Deepsea Whip coral (Gorgonacea) from mid Atlantic Ridge,

Tim Laman / Rich Soft Coral and Sea Fan covered reefs, teaming with fish life. Misool Island vicinity, near the smaller island of Wagmab. West Papua, Indonesia, April 2007

Tim Laman / Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) in yellow colour phase camouflaged in a yellow Sea Fan. West Papua, Indonesia, April 2007

Tim Laman / Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) in yellow colour phase camouflaged in a yellow Sea Fan. West Papua, Indonesia, April 2007

Georgette Douwma / Sea whips (Junceella fragilis) on coral reef. Philippines

Sue Daly / Pink sea fan coral (Eunicella verrucosa) Channel Isles, UK, June

Juergen Freund / Sea fan {Gorgonacea} collected for the Queensland Museum collection from the Coral Reef census, Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia, April 2008

Sue Daly / Sea fan coral (Ctenocella sp) Cebu, Philippines, March

Sue Daly / Sea fan coral (Gorgonia sp) Cebu, Philippines, March

Sue Daly / Sea fan coral (Gorgonia sp) Cebu, Philippines, March

Sue Daly / Close up of polyps and tentacles of Sea fan (Gorgonia sp) Cebu, Philippines, March

Claudio Contreras / Knobby sea rod polyps (Eunicea mammosa) Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve, Caribbean Sea, Mexico, May

Wild Wonders of Europe / Banfi / Red coral (Corallium rubrum) with open polyps, Larvotto Marine Reserve, Monaco, Mediterranean Sea, July 2009, vulnerable species

David Shale / Deepsea Alcyonarian Coral {Chrysogorgia sp} from seabed at 2750m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Edible crab (Cancer pagurus) climbing on a deep water Coral (Lophelia pertusa) near Fan coral (Paramuricea placomus) Trondheimsfjorden, Norway, February 2009

Jeff Rotman / Winged oyster (Pteria aegyptiaca) growing on Gorgonia coral, Red Sea

Wild Wonders of Europe / Pitkin / Gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata) 'Horsehead', Lavezzi Islands, Corsica, France, September 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Pitkin / Gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata) on rock face covered with Yellow encrusting anemones (Parazoanthus axinellae) sponges and corals, 'Horsehead', Lavezzi Islands, Corsica, France, September 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Pitkin / Gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata) on rock face covered with Yellow encrusting anemones (Parazoanthus axinellae) sponges and corals, 'Horsehead', Lavezzi Islands, Corsica, France, September 2008

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Featherstar (Criniodea) on gorgonian coral, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / A forest of Delicate sea whip corals {Juncella fragilis} Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Red whip corals / sea whips (Ellisella sp) and various sponges on coral reef, Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Whip corals / Sea whips (Ellisella sp) and featherstars (Crinoidea), on coral reef, Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Red whip corals / sea whips (Ellisella sp) and various sponges on coral reef, Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Hard corals grow on a sponge that is attached to a gorgonian fan coral. Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Delicate sea whip corals {Junceella fragilis} Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Delicate sea whip corals {Junceella fragilis} Indo-pacific

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Featherstars (Crinoidea) on gorgonian coral, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Chris Newbert / Soft Coral (Dendronephthya sp) and Sea Fans (Muricella sp) growing on dead sea fan stalk, Indonesia

Sue Daly / Warty / Pink sea fan coral {Eunicella verrucosa} on seabed, Channel Islands, UK

Sue Daly / Warty / Pink sea fan coral {Eunicella verrucosa} on seabed, Channel Islands, UK

Sue Daly / Warty / Pink sea fan coral {Eunicella verrucosa} on seabed, Channel Islands, UK

Sue Daly / Warty / Pink sea fan coral {Eunicella verrucosa} Channel Islands, UK

Sue Daly / Warty / Pink sea fan coral {Eunicella verrucosa} white form, Channel Islands, UK

Sue Daly / Diver with Warty / Pink sea fan coral {Eunicella verrucosa} Channel Islands, UK. Model Released.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Klein's butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) amongst gorgonian coral / sea fan. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Brittlestars (Ophiothrix sp) wrapped round arms of Gorgonian coral / Sea fan. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Brittlestars (Ophiothrix sp) wrapped round arms of Gorgonian coral / Sea fan. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Tim Laman / Sea fans and hard coral. Andros Barrier Reef, Bahamas.

Robert Valentic / King brown snake {Pseudechis australis} male fans out in threat display after sensing danger while basking on desert dune, Leigh Creek, Southern Australia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Pair of Collared / redtail butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare) against seafan coral. Andaman Sea, Thailand.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Coral hind (Cephalopholis miniata) lying in ambush amongst soft corals. Andaman Sea, Thailand.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Coral hind (Cephalopholis miniata) lying in ambush amongst soft corals. Andaman Sea, Thailand.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Coral hind (Cephalopholis miniata) lying in ambush amongst soft corals. Andaman Sea, Thailand.