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DiscoverSpeciesCorals and anemones

Chrysogorgia elegans

  • Corals and anemones
  • IUCN: Not evaluated
  • Usual depth432–1,268 m
  • Water temperature15–29 °C
  • Best monthsMay and July
  • How commonRare
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About this species

Chrysogorgia elegans is a species of soft coral in the family Chrysogorgiidae. It is found in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. Soft coral can also be referred to as sea fans, sea whips, sea feathers, and sea pens.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Chrysogorgia elegans”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 5 records
  • February: 6 records
  • March: 10 records
  • April: 12 records
  • May: 27 records
  • June: 14 records
  • July: 19 records
  • August: 3 records
  • September: 8 records
  • October: 8 records
  • November: 6 records
  • December: 1 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 432–1,268 m · Deepest record: 2,318 m

  • 160–170 m: 2 records
  • 170–180 m: 0 records
  • 180–190 m: 0 records
  • 190–200 m: 0 records
  • 200–210 m: 0 records
  • 210–220 m: 1 records
  • 220–230 m: 1 records
  • 230–240 m: 0 records
  • 240–250 m: 1 records
  • 250–260 m: 0 records
  • 260–270 m: 0 records
  • 270+ m: 167 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 15–29 °C

  • 14–16 °C: 2 records
  • 16–18 °C: 2 records
  • 18–20 °C: 1 records
  • 20–22 °C: 1 records
  • 22–24 °C: 0 records
  • 24–26 °C: 85 records
  • 26–28 °C: 71 records
  • 28–30 °C: 28 records

Names and classification

Other scientific names: Chrysogorgia affinis, Chrysogorgia spiculosa, Dasygorgia elegans, Dasygorgia spiculosa

Similar species

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

  • Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
  • Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
  • Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
  • 216 open-data records from 1877 to 2012.
  • Species data updated November 1, 2026.

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