Family Gorgoniidae

Leptogorgia virgulata (Lamarck, 1815)

Gorgonia virgulata Lamarck, 1815:157.

Remarks. Leptogorgia virgulata is one of the most common octocorals in the South Atlantic Bight. Colonies have a distinctive whip-like colony form (hence the common name “sea whip”), moderate branching near the attached base, and can approach a height of one meter. The branches are 2-5 mm in diameter with multiple rows of calyces along the sides, sometimes with a bare strip. Calyces are moderately prominent to completely flush and contain flat rods. The coenenchyme contains short (<0.1 mm), asymmetrical disk spindles and longer (0.15 mm) sculptured spindles. The anthocodial rods are at most half the length of the longest spindles. Colonies may be uniform yellow, orange, purple, white, or various shades in between, with corresponding spicular coloration.
This species is found in shallow reef environments and can tolerate low salinity environments such as tidal creeks and bays. L. virgulata is often colonized by the barnacle Conopea galeata, the Atlantic pearl oyster Pteria colymbus, and the bryozoans Alcyonidium hauffi and Membranipora arborecens.
There are numerous lots of this species in the NMNH from the shallow SAB.

Atlantic distribution: New York, unknown depth; Chesapeake Bay to Florida, Gulf of Mexico, 2-59 m (one record from 220 m); Brazil, unknown depth (Deichmann, 1936; Bayer, 1961; NMNH collections; SERTC collection).

Figure 5. Cortical sclerites of Leptogorgia virgulata (S2713)(scale bar = 50 µm). Disc spindles and anthocodial rods not shown.

Figure 1. Leptogorgia virgulata in situ, whole colony.

Figure 2. Branches and expanded polyps of Leptogorgia virgulata, in situ.

Figure 3. Leptogorgia virgulata, live specimen, with partially expanded polyps. Branch width is approximately 3-4 mm.

Figure 4. Contractile and retractile polyps of Leptogorgia virgulata (live specimen) showing orientation of sclerites in coenenchyme.