Mueller's Sea Pansy
| Name: | Mueller's Sea Pansy |
| Scientific Name: | Renilla muelleri |
| Family: | Sea Pens |
| Taxonomic: | Renillidae |
| ID Group: | Corals, Algae |
| Size: | 1 - 2 in. |
| Depth Range: | In shallow waters (0 – 15 ft.) |
| Sightings: | Not usually seen |
The Mueller's Sea Pansy is a soft, flat, leaf-shaped colony, often white or purple in color. Its overall shape is kidney- or horseshoe-like, giving it a pansy-like appearance. The upper surface is covered with tiny, flower-like feeding polyps that capture food. Other polyps, located along the stem, can inflate the body to help anchor the colony in the sand.
The Mueller's Sea Pansy is a colony that lives alone or in groups on soft sandy bottoms in shallow water. During the day, it anchors itself in the sand and is often completely buried. It feeds on tiny particles of plankton and organic matter, which it captures with a sticky mucus. It can become detached from the seafloor and float with the currents, sometimes washing ashore on beaches.