Birgitte Wilms / Sea Fan (Acabaria sp) with polyps extended for feeding, Solomon Islands

Birgitte Wilms / Soft coral and sea fan, Solomon Islands

Birgitte Wilms / Soft coral and sea fan, Solomon Islands

Juergen Freund / Spindle cowry (Pellasimnia sp) camouflaged on gorgonian coral host, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

Juergen Freund / Schooling Silverside fish above gorgonian fan coral. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February

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

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

Georgette Douwma / Scuba diver swimming over coral reef with gorgonian and soft corals. Komodo National Park, Indonesia. Model released

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

David Shale / Deepsea Gorgonian coral (Metallogorgia sp.) from mid atlantic ridge

David Shale / Brittlestar (Ophiuroidea) on Gorgonian seafan coral mid Atlantic Ridge, June 2010

Alex Mustard / Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi) swimming over a gorgonian covered coral reef. Grand Bahama, Bahamas. Tropical West Atlantic Ocean.

Georgette Douwma / Slender grouper (Anyperodon leucogrammicus) hiding amongst the branches of a gorgonian-like soft coral (Siphonogorgia godeffroyi) on coral reef. Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) tending eggs on branch of Gorgonian coral, Bali, Indonesia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) tending eggs on branch of gorgonian coral, Bali, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) over a gorgonian seafan on coral reef, Bali, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / A black crinoid featherstar perched on a gorgonian sea fan coral. Bali Island, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / A yellow featherstar crinoid growing in front of a gorgonian sea fan. Bali, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / Black crinoid featherstar perched on a gorgonian sea fan coral, Bali Island, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / A yellow feather star crinoid growing from a sponge in front of a gorgonian sea fan. Bali, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / Black crinoid featherstar perched on a gorgonian sea fan coral, Bali Island, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Coral reef scenery with Gorgonian and shoal of Pygmy / Glassy sweepers (Parapriacanthus guentheri) Egypt, Red Sea.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Klein's butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) with gorgonian. Misool, Raja Empat, West Papua, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Granulated starfish (Choriaster granulatus) with gorgonian coral on coral reef. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Featherstar (Crinoidea) on Gorgonian coral, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Featherstar (Crinoidea) on Gorgonian coral, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Klein's butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) with gorgonian coral, Misool, Raja Empat, West Papua, Indonesia

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 / Bigeye emperor (Monotaxis grandoculis) with gorgonian coral and purple encrusting sponge, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Bigeye emperor (Monotaxis grandoculis) with gorgonian coral and purple encrusting sponge, Misool, Raja Empat, West Papua, Indonesia.

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

Juergen Freund / Sea squirts (Ascidiacea) attached to a gorgonian fan coral. Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Featherstar (Crinoidea) on a Gorgonian fan coral. Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Sea squirts (Ascidiacea) attached to a gorgonian fan coral. Indo-pacific

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

Juergen Freund / Featherstar (Crinoidea) on a Gorgonian fan coral. Indo-pacific

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

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

Hiroya Minakuchi / Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) camouflaged on sea fan, Celebes Sea

Fred Bavendam / Flamingo Tongue Snail (Cyphoma gibbosum) on a Common Sea Fan (Gorgonia ventalina), Bahamas, Caribbean

Fred Bavendam / Gorgonian Coral (Calcigorgia spiculifera) amidst Taylor's Colonial Tunicates (Metandrocarpa taylori), British Columbia, Canada

Fred Bavendam / White-lined Rock Cod (Anyperodon leucogrammicus) in front of sea fan, Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea

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

Chris Newbert / Sea Fan (Melithaea sp) group on Disc Coral (Turbinaria reniformis), Indonesia

Chris Newbert / Soft Coral (Dendronephthya sp) and Sea Fan (Melithaea sp) on mangrove root, Indonesia

Chris Newbert / Crinoids on sea fan, Indonesia

Chris Newbert / Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) and gorgonian sea fan on ocean floor, Indonesia

Chris Newbert / Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) clinging to Sea Fan (Muricella sp), Indonesia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / White-belly damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon leucogaster) pair spawning on Gorgonian coral / Sea fan. Egypt, Red Sea

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

Michele Westmorland / Large gorgonian fan coral with crinoids / feather stars (Oxycomanthus bennetti) Bev's Reef, Tufi, Papua New Guinea

Norbert Wu / Sea fan, part of coral reef, Komodo Island, Indonesia

Jane Burton / Spotted seahorse {Hippocampus kuda} on gorgonian coral, captive, from Indo-Pacific

Jane Burton / Spotted seahorse {Hippocampus kuda} light colour phase, captive, from Indo-Pacific

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) with gorgonian coral fan. Andaman Sea, Thailand

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Featherstar / Crinoid and Gorgonian wrapper anemones (Nemanthus annamensis). Indonesia. Western Pacific.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) tending and guarding eggs on bare Gorgonian branch, Bali, Indonesia

Norbert Wu / Lemon Shark (Negaprion acutidens) swimming over sea fans, Bahamas, Caribbean

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) amongst gorgonian corals. Andaman Sea, Thailand.

Juergen Freund / Colourful gorgonian sea fan (Gorgonacea) and soft corals, with small fish, and a diver in the background. Rowley Shoals, Western Australia

Juergen Freund / Colourful gorgonian sea fan (Gorgonacea) and soft corals, with diver in the background. Rowley Shoals, Western Australia

Juergen Freund / Gorgonian sea fan (Gorgonacea) and soft corals, with fish in the background. Rowley Shoals, Western Australia

Juergen Freund / Colourful gorgonian sea fan (Gorgonacea) and soft corals, with diver in the background. Rowley Shoals, Western Australia

Juergen Freund / Colourful gorgonian sea fan (Gorgonacea) and soft corals, with diver in the background. Rowley Shoals, Western Australia

Juergen Freund / Gorgonian sea fan (Gorgonacea) with diver in the background. Rowley Shoals, Western Australia

Albert Lleal / Gorgonian Coral (Paramuricea clavata), Spain

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Longose hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) resting on Gorgonian coral. Red Sea, Egypt.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Flamingo tongue (Cyphoma gibbosum) attached to and feeding on Gorgonian coral. Caribbean, Atlantic Ocean.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Longose hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) resting on Gorgonian coral. Red Sea, Egypt.

Birgitte Wilms / Trumpetfish (Aulostomus sp) on Sea Fan (Melithaea sp), 60 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Juergen Freund / Gorgonian coral (Gorganacea) and sponge Philippines, South Pacific

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Gorgonian coral (Seafan) {Gorganacea} Banda Is, Moluccas, Indonesia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Gorgonian fan coral / Sea fan {Gorganacea} Bunaken, Sulawesi, Indonesia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Gorgonian fan coral {Gorganacea} with polyps feeding, Great barrier reef, Queensland, Australia

Chris Newbert / Soft Coral and Gorgonian reef scenic, 70 feet deep, Papua New Guinea

Chris Newbert / Sea Fan (Melithaea sp) and Squirrelfish (Sargocentron) 60 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Chris Newbert / Sea Fan (Melithaea sp) and Basslet (Pseudanthias sp) 80 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Chris Newbert / Sea Fan (Melithaea sp) 70 feet deep, Papua New Guinea

Chris Newbert / Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) on Sea Fan (Siphonogorgia sp) 60 feet deep, Papua New Guinea

Chris Newbert / Seahorse (Hippocampus sp) on Sea Fan (Muricella sp) 80 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Constantinos Petrinos / Pygmy seahorse {Hippocampus bargibanti} on gorgonian coral, Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Doug Perrine / Silver crinoid {Cenometra bella} on gorgonian coral, Palau, Micronesia

David Shale / Gorgonian Coral (Ascanella sp) deep sea

David Shale / Gorgonian Coral (Ascanella sp) deep sea

David Shale / Gorgonian Coral (Ascanella sp) deep sea

David Shale / Brittle Star {Ophiurida} on Gorgonian Coral, deep sea Atlantic ocean,

Chris Newbert / Sea Fan (Melithaea sp) small Sea Fan (Subergorgia sp) and Fusiliers on a coral reef, 50 feet deep, Papua New Guinea

Birgitte Wilms / Sea Fan (Melithaea sp) Sea Fan (Acabaria sp) Sea Whips (Ctenocella ellisella sp) and Golden Damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) 100 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Chris Newbert / Sea Fan (Subergorgia sp) Soft Coral (Dendronephthya sp) and Anthias (Pseudanthias sp) 50 feet deep, Red Sea, Egypt

Chris Newbert / Sea Fan (Melithaea sp) on coral reef, 50 feet deep, Solomon Islands

Birgitte Wilms / Sea Fan (Subergorgia sp) surrounded by schooling reef fish, Red Sea, Egypt