Grooved-Blade Sea Whip

The Grooved-Blade Sea Whip is a soft coral with a broad, flat, blade-like appearance, with all branches growing in a single plane, forming a fan-like shape. The branches are thin and typically deep purple, but they can also be olive, gray, or yellow. Tiny white or cream-colored polyps emerge from distinct grooves along the thin edges of the branches.

The Grooved-Blade Sea Whip can be seen in shallow water among rubble, as well as in slightly deeper areas where the reef begins. It attaches to hard surfaces, growing upward and swaying gently with the water movement. A notable fact is that it can shed its waxy outer layer if it becomes covered in algae, which helps keep it clean.