White Gorgonian, Leptogorgia alba
White Gorgonian, Leptogorgia alba. Coral provided by the commercial fishermen in the greater Los Cabos area, Baja California Sur, July 2009. Size: 38 cm (15 inches) x 23 cm (9.1 inches).
Phylogeny: The White Gorgonian, Leptogorgia alba, (Duchassaing Michelotti, 1864), is an octocoral and a member of the Gorgoniidae Family of Gorgonians, the soft corals. The Leptagorgia Genus is a large genus with ninety-four recognized species, and it is one of thirteen genera in the Gorgoniidae Family. They are known in Mexico as Gorgonia Nlanca or Látigo de Mar. There are two accepted subspecies, Leptogorgia alba capensis and Leptogorgia alba sulcata.
Morphology: The White Gorgonian has a small thin base with several long slender white stalks about 1 mm in diameter that taper to a pointed end that bear white polyps. The stalks are seldom branched. They reach 90 cm (35 inches) in length.
Habitat and Distribution: White Gorgonians are found attached to rocky reefs, subtidally to depths up to at least 70 m (230 feet). The White Gorgonians is found in all Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean with the exception that they are absent from the west coast of the Baja Peninsula. They are very common in Bahía de Los Ángeles, Baja California.
Diet: White Gorgonians are suspension feeders. The polyps use their eight tentacles to capture zooplankton, such as amphipods and fish larva, from the surrounding water.
Predators: White Gorgonians are preyed upon by the Gorgonian Spindle Slug, Neosimnia avena.
Reproduction: Reproduction in White Gorgonians is sexual with mature gametes being shed into the coelenteron and spawned through the mouth. The zygote develop into planktonic planula larva and metamorphosis begins with early morphogenesis of tentacles, septa, and pharynx before larval settlement on to the bottom substrate.
Ecosystem Interactions: White Gorgonians are known to host the Commensal Brittle Star, Ophiothela mirabilis. The gorgonian provides structure for the brittle star to climb up, into the nutrient rich current. The brittle stars do not appear to cause damage to the gorgonian. Their engagement in any type of parasitic or symbiotic relationship has not been formally documented.
Human Interactions: White Gorgonians are currently of interest to scientists because they contain a series of novel biochemicals (thought to be present to ward off fish predators) that are being evaluated to kill malaria causing parasites in humans. Otherwise they have limited direct impact on human activities. From a conservation perspective they have not been formally evaluated however they are fairly common with a relatively wide distribution and should be consider to be of Least Concern.
Synonyms: Euplexaura lemasti, Leptogorgia rigida var. laevis, Litigorgia levis, and Lophogorgia alba.
Request for Help. This identification should be considered tentative due to the very remote location of the collection (Latitude 23oN and Longitude 110oW). We have found very little scientific focus on this area of the world and therefore supporting scientific documentation is not available. We welcome additional information on this coral from anyone who cares to contact us.