Slender sea pen Virgularia mirabilis up to 60 cm long with a central stem only a few millimetres thick. Retractile tentacled polyps are fused into small 'leaves' which are arranged in two opposing lateral rows on the central stem. They vary in colour from white to creamy yellow in colour. This picture was taken at the Kentallen wall on the south of loch Leven.

Back to last page

Picture by John Nicolson