Common name : Common sea pens, Phosphorescent sea pens
Scientific name : Pennatula phosphorea
Family : Pennatulidae
Native to : Worldwide Oceans
Interesting fact : Each sea pen is a colony of either male or emale polyps that release sperms and eggs in the water column for fertilization.
Conservation status : Endangered
Sea pens are brightly coloured, colony of polyps, that look like a quilled pen. A single polyp develops into a rigid, erect stalk, losing its tentacles and forming a peduncle at its base that is buried into the sand. They feed on plankton with their feather-like tentacles. They show bioluminescence and also provide shelter for other animals. Lifespan is 14-15 years.
