Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Info
The pink gorgonian Primnoa wingi in the living state can reach a length of up to 5 meters!
Similar species: Primnoa wingi is most similar to Primnoa pacifica var. willeyi, especially in the slender adaxial body wall sclerites.
But Primnoa wingi has several unique features that easily distinguish it from all other Primnoa species, including the characteristic spoon-shaped opercular bodies, strongly concave marginal scales, large curved tentacular rods; relatively short coenenchyma sclerites; large, extremely fleshy, flaccid polyps; and large distal branch diameter.
In addition, no distinct basal scales are present.
Judging by the way the polyps adhere to each other and to the branch when dry, it appears that this species produces large amounts of mucilage when touched.
Etymology: Named in honor of Bruce Wing, a strong proponent of invertebrate zoology in the Gulf of Alaska.
Similar species: Primnoa wingi is most similar to Primnoa pacifica var. willeyi, especially in the slender adaxial body wall sclerites.
But Primnoa wingi has several unique features that easily distinguish it from all other Primnoa species, including the characteristic spoon-shaped opercular bodies, strongly concave marginal scales, large curved tentacular rods; relatively short coenenchyma sclerites; large, extremely fleshy, flaccid polyps; and large distal branch diameter.
In addition, no distinct basal scales are present.
Judging by the way the polyps adhere to each other and to the branch when dry, it appears that this species produces large amounts of mucilage when touched.
Etymology: Named in honor of Bruce Wing, a strong proponent of invertebrate zoology in the Gulf of Alaska.
