Gorgonian sea fan
A gorgonian sea fan is a colony of small coral-like animals supported by a branching, fan-shaped skeleton.
Also known as: sea fan, gorgonian coral
How big is it?
1.5 m · defined colony height
Also 4.921 ft
Defined colony height · defined specimen
Typical recorded range: 50 cm to 2 m.
A little perspective
Gorgonian sea fan vs Brain coral colony: length comparison
The colony height of a gorgonian sea fan is approximately equal to the colony diameter of a brain coral colony.
A gorgonian sea fan is a colony of small coral-like animals supported by a branching, fan-shaped skeleton.
A brain coral colony is a living mound-shaped formation of coral polyps that secrete a grooved, dome-like calcium carbonate skeleton.
Both rulers start at the same zero and share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its original proportions. Horizontal rulers compare the selected spans; vertical brackets also identify height on the artwork.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Gorgonian sea fan
Defined colony height: 1.5 m; defined specimen; range 50 cm–2 m.
A defined mature gorgonian sea-fan colony 1.5 m high and 1.2 m wide. Species, current exposure and breakage produce highly variable branching forms; the holdfast is included and attached reef rock is excluded.
Smithsonian Ocean — Corals and coral reefs
The marked defined colony height is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Brain coral colony
Defined colony diameter: 1.5 m; defined specimen; range 60 cm–2 m.
A defined massive brain-coral colony 1.5 m across with a 900 kg wet skeletal mass. Species, growth form and cavities vary; the living grooved dome, not attached reef rock, defines the diameter.
Smithsonian Ocean — Corals and coral reefs
The marked defined colony diameter is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Use the visual comparison to explore its scale, then check the measurements and sources.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 1.5 m
We compare the colony height of a gorgonian sea fan. This is an illustrative comparison value, not a claim that every example is the same. The recorded range is 50 cm to 2 m.
A defined mature gorgonian sea-fan colony 1.5 m high and 1.2 m wide. Species, current exposure and breakage produce highly variable branching forms; the holdfast is included and attached reef rock is excluded.
The marked vertical span follows the measured feature, not the edges of the image. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 m | 50 cm to 2 m | defined specimen | |
| 1.2 m | 40 cm to 1.8 m | defined specimen |
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Around the same scaleLiving thingsBrain coral colony1.5 mDefined colony diameterA brain coral colony is a living mound-shaped formation of coral polyps that secrete a grooved, dome-like calcium carbonate skeleton.
Nearest higher valueLiving thingsElkhorn coral colony2 mDefined colony widthAn elkhorn coral colony is a branching formation of the coral species Acropora palmata, found in shallow Caribbean reefs.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- Smithsonian Ocean — Corals and coral reefsGorgonian colony anatomy and branching growth; the atlas uses an explicitly defined mature sea-fan specimen.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
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