''Swiftia rosea'' is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of gorgonian-type

octocoral Octocorallia, along with Hexacorallia, is one of the two extant classes of Anthozoa. It comprises over 3,000 species of marine and brackish animals consisting of colonial polyps with 8-fold symmetry, commonly referred informally as "soft cora ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Plexauridae Plexauridae is a Family (biology), family of marine Colony (biology), colonial Octocorallia, octocorals in the phylum Cnidaria. Members of this family are found in shallow tropical and subtropical seas. Many species contain Symbiosis, symbiotic P ...

Description

Colonies of this sea fan are usually high. There is usually a single main stem with a few branches at an angle to the main stem but in a single plane. The polyps are in two rows on the thicker branches but near the tips they are closer together and more disordered. The colour of this sea fan is dark red. The polyps are colourless and cannot be retracted back into the branches. This sea fan resembles the closely related but rather less common ''

Swiftia pallida ''Swiftia pallida'' is a species of gorgonian-type octocoral in the family Plexauridae sometimes known as the northern sea fan. At one time it was considered to be a subspecies of '' Swiftia rosea''. Description ''Swiftia pallida'' usually has a ...

'', but is more densely branched.

Distribution and habitat

''Swiftia rosea'' is native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean including Scandinavia, Great Britain and Ireland. This sea fan also occurs in deep water on the continental shelf off the Atlantic coast of North America. It is typically found in cold waters within the depth range in localities with good water flow. In suitable habitats, populations can be quite dense.

References

Animals described in 1887 Plexauridae {{octocorallia-stub