Alex Mustard / Flamingo tongue (Cyphoma gibbosum) feeding on a seafan (Gorgonia ventalina) Cyphomas feed on corals and concentrate the toxic chemicals into their mantle, which they then wrap around the outside of it...

Roberto Rinaldi / Yellow fan coral / Seafan (Paramuricea clavata) amongst mass of invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia) with Rainbow wrasse fish (Coris julis), Strait of Messina, Southern Italy

David Shale / Deepsea Featherstar (Crinoidea) on Primnoid coral seafan from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, December 2011

Jeff Rotman / Gorgonian Seafan Coral (Gorgonacea) polyps open to feed at night. South China Sea, Sipadan Island, Borneo.

Alex Mustard / Denise's Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus denise) on a coral seafan. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, November.

Alex Mustard / A Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) in red seafan (Muricella sp.). Pygmy Seahorses are small, most less than 15mm in total length. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia, Java Sea, August.

Alex Mustard / A Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) camouflaged in red Seafan (Muricella sp.). Pygmy Seahorses are small, most less than 15mm in length. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia, October.

Alex Mustard / A Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) camouflaged in red Seafan (Muricella sp.). Pygmy Seahorses are small, most less than 15mm in length. Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia, October.

Alex Mustard / Two Denise's Pygmy Seahorses (Hippocampus denise) on a seafan (Muricella sp.). Digital composite. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, November.

Georgette Douwma / Seafan {Gorgonacea} Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Georgette Douwma / Seafan {Gorgonacea} Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Doug Perrine / Lionfish {Pterois miles} with Seafan in foreground, Thailand

DAVID HALL / Featherstar on red seafan {Crinoidea}, Solomon Islands

Jeff Rotman / Giant seafan coral and diver {Subergorgia mollis} on reef Palau Is, Micronesia Model released.

Georgette Douwma / Featherstar on seafan, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Georgette Douwma / Longnose hawkfish in Seafan coral {Oxycirrhites typus} Sulawesi, Indonesia

Jeff Rotman / Giant seafan coral close up {Subergorgia mollis} Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea.

Alex Mustard / Diamond blenny (Malacoctenus boehlkei) photographed through a window in a seafan, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Caribbean Sea.

Roberto Rinaldi / Yellow fan coral / Seafan (Paramuricea clavata) amongst invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia), Strait of Messina, Southern Italy

Roberto Rinaldi / Yellow fan coral / Seafan (Paramuricea clavata) amongst mass of invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia), Strait of Messina, Southern Italy

Roberto Rinaldi / Diver viewing Yellow fan coral / Seafan (Paramuricea clavata) amongst mass of invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia), Strait of Messina, Southern Italy

Roberto Rinaldi / Seafan coral (Eunicella cavolini) amongst invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia) Strait of Messina, Southern Italy

David Shale / Deepsea Feather star (Crinoidea) on Primnoid coral seafan from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, December 2011

David Shale / Deepsea Featherstar (Crinoidea) on Primnoid coral seafan from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, December 2011

David Shale / Deepsea Feather star (Crinoidea) on Primnoid coral seafan from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, December 2011

David Shale / Detail of deepea seafan (Narella sp) from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, November 2011

David Shale / Deepsea Feather star (Crinoidea) on Primnoid coral seafan from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, December 2011

David Shale / Deepsea Feather star (Crinoidea) on Primnoid coral seafan from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, December 2011

David Shale / Deepea seafan (Narella sp) from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, November 2011

David Shale / Deepsea Octocoral (Chrysogorgia sp) from a coral seamount in the Indian Ocean, November 2011

Jeff Rotman / Gorgonian Seafan Coral (Gorgonacea) polyps open to feed at night. South China Sea, Sipadan Island, Borneo.

Alex Mustard / A Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) swimming in open water above its home seafan. Pygmy seahorses are small, most less than 15mm in total length. Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia, Celebes Sea,...

Alex Mustard / A Denise's Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus denise) on a coral seafan. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, November.

Alex Mustard / A digital composite of a Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) swimming over a seafan (Muricella sp.). Pygmy seahorses are small, most less than 15mm in total length. Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indone...

Alex Mustard / Denise's Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus denise) on a coral seafan. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, November.

Alex Mustard / Pygmy Seahore (Hippocampus bargibanti) in red seafan. Pygmy seahorses are small, most less than 15mm in total length. Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia, June.

Alex Mustard / A Denise's Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus denise) in a coral seafan. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, November.

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

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

Tim Laman / Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) in front of a seafan growing from part of the wreck of the ship Liberty, Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / Spindle cowrie snail (Ovulidae) on seafan, Bali, Indonesia.

Sue Daly / Seafan nudibranch {Tritonia nilsodhneri} and eggs camouflaged on Warty coral {Eunicella verrucosa} underwater, Channel Islands, UK

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

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Basket star coiled on Seafan, Bunaken, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Diver next to Seafan, Caribbean.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Abstract Close-up of Seafan detail {Gorgonacea}, Egypt Red Sea

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

Doug Perrine / Allied cowries {Primovula roseomaculata} mating on Seafan, Similan Is, Thailand, Andaman Sea

Doug Perrine / Diver and Seafan, Flinders reef, Coral sea, Australia

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Basket star coiled on Seafan. Bunaken, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Doug Perrine / Spotfin butterflyfish {Chaetodon ocellatus} Islamorada, Florida Keys, USA (Non-ex).

Doug Perrine / Nurse shark resting under seafan {Ginglymostoma cirratum} Bahamas, Caribbean Sea (Non-ex).

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Featherstar on seafan, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Coral reef scenic with seafan and soft coral Red Sea, Egypt

Jeff Rotman / Giant seafan coral {Subergorgia hicksoni} and Anthias fish on reef, Red Sea

Jeff Rotman / Diver with Gaint seafan coral {Subergorgia hicksoni} Red Sea Model released.

Roberto Rinaldi / Gorgonian seafan (possibly Anthothelidae), Philippines.

Roberto Rinaldi / Diver and gorgonian seafan, great barrier reef Australia.

Roberto Rinaldi / Longsnout seahorse / slender seahorse (Hippocampus reidi) with tail curled round a gorgonian seafan (Gorgonacea), Honduras.

Roberto Rinaldi / Gorgonian seafan growing on barrel sponge, Honduras.

Roberto Rinaldi / Longsnout seahorse / slender seahorse(Hippocampus reidi) with its tail around a white gorgonian seafan (Gorgonacea), Toon Town dive site, Cayos Cochinos, Honduras

Roberto Rinaldi / Longsnout seahorse / slender seahorse (Hippocampus reidi) in a white gorgonian seafan (Gorgonacea), Honduras

Roberto Rinaldi / Squat lobster (Galathea squamifera) on red gorgonian seafan (Paramuricea clavata), Elba, Italy.

Roberto Rinaldi / Diver and Gorgonian seafan, Honduras.

Roberto Rinaldi / Longsnout seahorse / slender seahorse (Hippocampus reidi) in a white gorgonian seafan (Gorgonacea), Honduras

Roberto Rinaldi / Longnose hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) hiding in gorgonian seafan, Tubbataha Reef, Philippines.

Roberto Rinaldi / Polyps of grogonian seafan.

Roberto Rinaldi / Crinoid featherstars (Crinoidea) on gorgonian seafan with a sponge in the foreground, Walea, Toigan Islands, Indonesia.

Roberto Rinaldi / Damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon sp) inbetween branches of a gorgonian seafan, Philippines.

Roberto Rinaldi / Mediterranean basket star (Astrospartus mediterraneus) red gorgonian seafan (Paramuricea clavata), Italy, Mediterranean sea.

GEORGETTE DOUWMA / Featherstar {Crinoidea} on Seafan coral. Sulawesi Indonesi