About Solanderia ericopsis (Carter, 1873)
Solanderia ericopsis (Carter, 1873) is a hydroid species belonging to the family Solanderiidae, a group commonly called tree hydroids or sea fan hydroids. This species forms very large, noticeable colonies that reach between 5 and 50 cm in height, and are frequently observed by divers. Colonies are usually strictly fan-shaped, but may occasionally grow into a bushy form. Colonies of this hydroid can be unusually long-lived: during long-term monitoring of designated rocky areas around the Poor Knights Islands, a researcher tracked a single colony of S. ericopsis for over fifteen years, by which point it had grown to 50 cm in height. S. ericopsis is endemic to New Zealand. It can be found all around the country, though it occurs most often in the North Island. It inhabits relatively shallow marine water, with its depth range spanning from 2 to 200 metres.
