Michael Pitts / Longnose hawkfish {Oxycirrhites typus} on fan coral, Papua New Guinea

David Fleetham / Bargibant's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) wrapped around Eye fan coral (Cnidaria sp). Philippines.

Jordi Chias / Spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) just hatched from egg case that is on Seafan (Paramuricea clavata), Ullastres seamount, Costa Brava, Llafranch, Catalunya, Spain

Brandon Cole / Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) camouflaged in sea fan, Indonesia, tropical Pacific Ocean.

Alex Mustard / Close up of tiny (10mm) Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) living disguised in Muricella sp. sea fan. Bitung, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Lembeh Strait, Molucca Sea.

Ingo Arndt / Compilation of various corals including many Fan corals (Gorgonacea sp) from collection at Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt, Germany.

Ingo Arndt / Fan Coral (Echinogorgia sp) from Indo-Pacific, in collection at Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt, Germany.

Franco Banfi,Franco Banfi / Pygmy seahorse, not currently described hiding in sea fan, Raja Ampat, Irian Jaya, West Papua, Indonesia, Pacific Ocean

Linda Pitkin / 2020VISION / Pink sea fan / Warty coral (Eunicella verrucosa) with attached eggs of a Common squid (Loligo vulgaris), eggcase of a Lesser-spotted dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula), and Spiny starfish (Marthasterias...

Alex Mustard / A diver exploring a coral reef with formation of brown tube sponges (Agelas conifera) red rope sponges (Amphimedon compressa) and deepwater sea fans (Iciligorgia nodulifera) East End, Grand Cayman, Ca...

Roberto Rinaldi / Yellow fan coral / Seafan (Paramuricea clavata) amongst mass of invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia) with Rainbow wrasse fish (Coris julis), Strait of Messina, Southern Italy

Jurgen Freund / Schooling Silverside fish (Antherinidae) split level with karst limestone walls, fan coral and featherstar, North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2002.

Jurgen Freund / Brittlestar on gorgonian fan coral, Papua New Guinea.

Jurgen Freund / Gorgonian fan coral with Featherstar / crinoid attached, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

Jurgen Freund / Gorgonian fan coral with crinoids / featherstars, Kimbe Bay, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea

Jurgen Freund / Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) camouflaged in a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Jurgen Freund / Denise's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) in its fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia,

Jurgen Freund / Tunicates / Ascidians / Sea squirts (Atriolum robustum) on a fan coral branch. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Jurgen Freund / Fan coral (Gorgonacea) with open polyps. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia..

Jurgen Freund / Convict blennies / False catfish, juvenile, (Pholidichthys leucotaenia) amidst a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia,

Jurgen Freund / Denise's pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) in its fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Jurgen Freund / Tiny Brittlestars (Ophiuridae) wrapped around the branches of Fan coral, Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Jurgen Freund / Golden damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) swimming around a fan coral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Jurgen Freund / Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) camouflaged in a fancoral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Jurgen Freund / Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) camouflaged in a fancoral. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Jurgen Freund / Split-level shot of Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the shallows with boat shilouetted against the sunset in the background. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Jurgen Freund / Colorful coral reef with soft corals (Alcyonacea) and fan corals (Gorgonacea). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January

Tim Laman / Denise's Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) camouflaged in a Sea Fan. Orange colour form. Vicinity of Gam Island, Raja Ampat, Indonesia, May 2007

Tim Laman / Denise's Pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus denise) camouflaging itself in a Sea Fan. Yellow colour form. Pisang Islands, West of Fak Fak Peninsula. West Papua, Indonesia, April 2007

Tim Laman / Lionfish (Pterois) hovering in a Sea Fan in a view looking toward the surface of the water. Misool Island vicinity. Near smaller island of Fiabacet. West Papua, Indonesia, April 2007

Sue Flood / Luxury hotel room looking over the Pitons, Jade Mountain hotel, St Lucia, May 2007

Sue Daly / Close up of polyps and tentacles of Sea fan (Gorgonia sp) Cebu, Philippines, March

Wild Wonders of Europe / Zankl / Close-up of European fan worm (Sabella / Spirographis spallanzani) Malta, Mediteranean, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Zankl / European fan worms (Sabella / Spirographis spallanzani) Malta, Mediteranean, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Zankl / European fan worms (Sabella / Spirographis spallanzani) Malta, Mediteranean, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Blanket stars (Gorgonocephalus caputmedusae) climbing Fan coral (Paramuricea placomus) to position themselves in water current, Trondheimsfjorden, Norway, February 2009

Brandon Cole / Goby {Gobiidae} on gorgonian sea fan, Indonesia.

Jurgen Freund / Feather star {Crinoidea} on fan coral, Indo Pacific

Jurgen Freund / Featherstar in fan coral {Crinoidea} Indo-Pacific

Jurgen Freund / Featherstar {Crinoidea} on fan coral, Sulu-sulawesi seas, Indo Pacific

Jurgen Freund / Soft coral {Dendronephthya sp} + Gorgonia fan Sulu-Sulawesi seas, Indo Pacific

Jeff Rotman / Giant seafan coral and diver {Subergorgia mollis} on reef Palau Is, Micronesia Model released.

Sue Daly / Warty coral {Eunicella verrucosa} Sark, Channel Isles, UK

DAVID HALL / Featherstar on red seafan {Crinoidea}, Solomon Islands

PETER SCOONES / Golden samselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus) with Gorgonian fan. Indo-Pacific Ocean

Jeff Rotman / Giant seafan coral close up {Subergorgia mollis} Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea.

Jurgen Freund / Brittlestar on fan coral, Caribbean

Norbert Wu / Flamingo Tongue Snail (Cyphoma gibbosum) feeding on Common Sea Fan (Gorgonia ventalina) showing deep purple tone where the Sea Fan has released protective compounds, Saba, Caribbean