SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) on a rocky reef with view of the sky, Shetland, Scotland, UK, August.

Alex Mustard / Diver exploring the wreck of HMS Scylla, which is colonized by Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum). Whitsands Bay, Cornwall, England. UK, July.

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), growing on rock faces below the kelp, St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, UK, October 2011. Did you know? Soft co...

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / A gully lined with the soft coral Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) growing beneath a summer canopy of kelp, Rosehearty, Moray Firth, Scotland, UK, June

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / A tiny amphipod (Iphimedia obesa) living on Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum) Loch Carron, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, UK, April.

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Common / Red sunstar (Crossaster papposus) amongst Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) on a rocky reef, beneath kelp. Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK, June.

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Long legged spider crab (Macropodia rostrata) on Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum). Loch Carron, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, UK, April

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Skeleton shrimp (Caprella linearis) living within the polyps of Dead man's fingers soft coral. Bard Cave, Bressay, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK, June

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Colourful rocky reef with Dead man's finger (Alcyonium digitatum) and Kelp forest, North Sea, Shetland

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Rocky reef with Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) community of soft corals and anemones, Scotland, UK, August.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Soft coral / Dead man's finger (Alcyonium digitatum) growing on a rocky reef with kelp forest above, Scotland, UK, February.

Robin Chittenden / Dead man's finger fungus (Xylaria polymorpha), Sri Lanka.

Sue Daly / Deadman's finger soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum) Trondheimsfjord, Norway, July.

Sue Daly / Reef wall with Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum), Isle of Man, July.

Sue Daly / Reef wall with Edible sea urchin (Echinus esculentus) and Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum), Isle of Man, July.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Elegant anemone (Sagartia elegans) and Dead man's finger (Alcyonium digitatum) with fish swimming in plankton bloom in background, South Arran Marine Protected Area, Isle of Arran, Scotland, UK, Augus...

Alex Mustard / Common lobster (Homarus gammarus) looks out from its hole amongst Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) beneath a forest of Oarweed kelp (Laminaria hyperborea). Farne Islands, Northumberland, U...

Andy Sands / Dead man's fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) strange fungi sticking up from rotten log, Buckinghamshire, England, UK, October

Solvin Zankl / Kelp forest (Laminaria hyperborea) with Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), Stromsholmen, North West Norway, March. Atlantic Ocean.

Michael Hutchinson / Dead man's fingers (Splachnidium rugosum) on rocks, Cape Province, South Africa, December.

Andy Jackson / 2020VISION / Tracking shot along vertical rock faces with Jewel sea anemones (Corynactis viridis), dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) and Sea urchins (Echinoidea), Out Stack, Shetland, Scotland, UK, June. Se...

Andy Jackson / 2020VISION / Tracking shot along vertical rock faces with Jewel sea anemones (Corynactis viridis), dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) and Sea urchins (Echinoidea), Out Stack, Shetland, Scotland, UK, June. Se...

Andy Jackson / 2020VISION / Tracking shot along vertical rock faces with Jewel sea anemones (Corynactis viridis), dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) and Sea urchins (Echinoidea), Out Stack, Shetland, Scotland, UK, June. Se...

Andy Jackson / 2020VISION / Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), open and feeding in the tidal current, Noup Head, Westray, Orkney, June 2011.

Sue Daly / Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum) St Abbs Voluntary Marine Reserve, Scotland (North Sea).

Sue Daly / Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum) St Abbs Voluntary Marine Reserve, Scotland (North Sea).

Sue Daly / Reef wall with Plumose anemone (Metridium senile) and Dead man's fingers coral (Alcyonium digitatum) The Isles of Scilly.

Sue Daly / Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum) The Isles of Scilly.

Sue Daly / Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum) Grune du Nord, Sark, British Channel Islands.

Sue Daly / Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum) St Abbs Voluntary Marine Reserve, Scotland (North Sea).

Sue Daly / Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum) St Abbs Voluntary Marine Reserve, Scotland (North Sea).

Alex Mustard / Orange deadman's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) grow on the side of a boulder beneath kelp. Gardur, south west Iceland. North Atlantic Ocean.

Robert Thompson / Dead man's fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) growing on fallen oak, Lamb Island, Lough Lean lower, Killarney, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland, November

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Amphipod (Iphimedia obesa) on top of a colony of Deadman's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) coral, Loch Carron, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, UK, April.

Solvin Zankl / Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), Atlantic Ocean, North West Norway

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Soft coral Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) and Common sea urchins (Echinus esculentus) on boulders beneath a canopy of kelp, Rosehearty, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, Moray Firth, North Sea, May

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum) St Abbs Marine Reserve, Berwickshire, Scotland, UK, North Sea, June.

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Gully lined with the soft coral Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) growing beneath a summer canopy of kelp, Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK, Moray Firth, North Sea, June

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), growing on rock faces, St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, UK, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), growing on rock faces below the kelp, St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, UK, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), growing on rock faces below the kelp, St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, UK, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), growing on rock faces below the kelp, St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, UK, August 2011

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Butterfish (Pholis gunnellus) on Dead-man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), St Abbs (St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve), Berwickshire, Scotland, UK, August 2011

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Nudibranch (Tritonia hombergi) feeding on soft coral Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) Loch Carron, Scotland, UK, April

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Large Prawn (Palaemon longirostris) standing on a Nudibranch (Tritonia hombergi), sheltering on dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) Loch Carron, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, UK, April

Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Group of Skeleton shrimps (Caprella sp) a large male and two pregnant females, feeding on plankton while standing on Dead man's fingers soft coral (Alcyonium digitatum). Wreck of the MV Lunokhods, She...

Sue Daly / Dead man's Fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), Gouliot Caves, Sark, Channel Islands, UK

Sue Daly / Dead man's Fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), Gouliot Caves, Sark, Channel Islands, UK

Adrian Davies / Dead Man's Fingers Fungus {Xylaria polymorpha} amongst leaf litter, UK

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Dahlia anemone (Tealia felina), Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) on rock with Kelp / Oarweed (Laminaria digitata) in background. St Abbs, English Channel. Atlantic Ocean.

Adrian Davies / Dead Man's Fingers fungus {Xylaria polymorpha} UK.

Philippe Clement / Dead man's finger fungus on tree stump {Xylaria polymorpha} Belgium

George McCarthy / Dead man's fingers fungus {Xylaria polymorpha} UK

Adrian Davies / Deads mans fingers fungus {Xylaria polymorpha} Devon UK

David Pike / Firerug inkcap (Coprinellus domesticus) and Dead man's fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) close up, Fingle Bridge, Dartmoor, Devon, UK. October. Focus-stacked image.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Dead-man's finger (Alcyonium digitatum), close up of feeding polyps, Levenwick, Shetland, Scotland, North Atlantic Ocean, UK.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Common hermit crab (Pagurus bernhardus) nestled in the polyps of Dead-man's finger (Alcyonium digitatum), Lwerick, Shetland, Scotland, North Atlantic Ocean, UK..

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Diver above an overhanging rocky reef covered in Dead-man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), Levenwick, Shetland, Scotland, North Atlantic Ocean, UK.

Robert Thompson / Dead man's fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) fungus growing from moss-covered rotting log in woodland, Ards Forest Park, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. October.

Franco Banfi / Yellow sun seastar (Solaster endeca) and Dead man's finger (Alcyonium digitatum) on rock, Trondheimfjord, Norway, North Atlantic Ocean.

Alex Mustard / Pink shrimp / Northern prawn (Pandalus montagui) on Orange dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), Farne Islands, Northumberland, UK, North Sea.

Alex Mustard / Great spider crab (Hyas araneus) attacking the camera, amongst a bed of Common brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis) and Deadman's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), Loch Carron, Highlands, Scotland, UK.

Alex Mustard / Pair of mating orange Nudibranchs (Tritonia hombergi) in a bed of Common brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis) and their favourite food, Deadman's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), Loch Carron, Highlands...

Alex Mustard / Pair of mating orange Nudibranchs (Tritonia hombergi) in a bed of Common brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis) and their favourite food, Deadman's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), Loch Carron, Highlands...

Alex Mustard / RF - Soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) growing on a vertical rock wall, beneath kelp (Laminaria hyperborea) and fish. Farne Islands, Northumberland, England, UK. (This image ma...

Alex Mustard / Orange corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) and common sea urchins (Echinus esculentus). Farne Islands, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom. British Isles. North Sea

Alex Mustard / European lobster (Homarus gammarus) living in soft corals , Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) and common sea urchins (Echinus esculentus). Farne Islands, Northumberland, England, United Kin...

Alex Mustard / Orange and white soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) thriving beneath kelp (Laminaria hyperborea). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. British Isles. North...

Alex Mustard / Edible crab (Cancer pagurus) sheltering in white soft corals , Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) beneath kelp (Laminaria hyperborea). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland, United Kingd...

Alex Mustard / Colourful soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) and common sea urchins (Echinus esculentus) mass beneath a kelp forest (Laminaria hyperborea). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scot...

Alex Mustard / Orange and white soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) thriving beneath kelp (Laminaria hyperborea). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. British Isles. North...

Alex Mustard / Common brittlestars (Ophiothrix fragilis) mass together on orange and white soft corals , Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. Briti...

Alex Mustard / Orange and white soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. British Isles. North Sea.

Alex Mustard / Rock wall is covered in colourful animals, including white Elegant anemones (Sargartia elegans) and orange Plumose anemones (Metridium dianthus), white soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium d...

Alex Mustard / Large Ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) swims over white and orange soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) and a Common sea urchin (Echinus esculentus) St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire...

Alex Mustard / White and orange soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) and a common sea urchins (Echinus esculentus) beneath a Kelp forest (Laminaria hyperborea). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire,...

Alex Mustard / Creel (or lobster pot) laid on a seabed of orange and white soft corals , Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. British Isles. North...

Alex Mustard / Orange and white soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) thriving beneath kelp (Laminaria hyperborea). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. British Isles. North...

Alex Mustard / Orange and white soft corals, Dead men's finger (Alcyonium digitatum) are surrounded by pink/purple feather stars (Antedon pelasus). Lochcarron, Ross-shire, Ross and Cromarty, Highlands, Scotland,...

Guy Edwardes / Dead man's fingers fungus (Xylaria polymorpha). New Forest National Park, England, UK. October.

Mateusz Piesiak / Dead man's fingers fungus (Xylaria polymorpha) in autumn forest. Barycz Valley Landscape Park, Poland, November.

Alex Mustard / Common lobster / European lobster (Homarus gammarus) hiding amongst soft corals Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) growing beneath kelp (Laminaria hyperborea). Farne Islands, Northumberland,...

Alex Mustard / Brown crab / Edible crab (Cancer pagurus) shelters in colourful corals -Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum). Farne Islands, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom. North Sea

Alex Mustard / Brown crab (Cancer pagurus) nestled amongst soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), beneath cuvie kelp forest (Laminaria hyperborea). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland, Unit...

Alex Mustard / Orange and white soft corals, Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) thriving beneath kelp (Laminaria hyperborea). St Abbs, Eyemouth, Berwickshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. North Sea.

Alex Mustard / Reef scene with large colonies of orange and white Dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum), two swimming crabs - Velvet swimming crab (Necora puber) and a common sea urchin (Echinus esculentus, b...

Alex Mustard / Diver (Peter Rowlands) explores the wreck of HMS Scylla, which is colonised by dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum). Whitsands Bay, Cornwall, England. English Channel, North East Atlantic Ocean

Alex Mustard / Amphipod (Iphimedia obesa) rests on dead man's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) soft coral. Lochcarron, Ross-shire, Ross and Cromarty, Highlands, Scotland, United Kingdom. Loch Carron, North East Atl...