About Melithaea rubra (Esper, 1789)
Melithaea rubra (Esper, 1789) forms sea fan colonies that reach approximately 30 cm in height, with individual branches measuring between 2 and 4 mm across. Colonies are bushy, bearing thin cylindrical branches that are often tangled or fused together. Its polyps emerge from small knobs across the colony surface. The species has variable coloration: the whole colony may be red, yellow, white, or pink, while individual polyps can be white, yellow, or red. This sea fan is found exclusively along the South African coast, ranging from Bloubergstrand to East London, at depths of 10 to 30 meters, and is endemic to this region. Ecologically, M. rubra grows on vertical reef surfaces and under overhangs, and usually orients itself perpendicular to surrounding water flow. It may grow in mixed assemblages alongside sponges, bryozoans, and tunicates. It is preyed on by the coral nudibranch Phyllodesmium horridum and the walking anemone Preactis millardae.
