Gorgonians and sea fans are common names for animals grouped under Alcyonaceae (soft orals). together with heliporaceae (blue Coral) and pennatulacea (sea pens) they belong to the larger animal group Octocorallia. Characteristic of this grop is that their polyps always have eight tentacles (octo-coral). these animal do not have massive bone like hard corals, but microscopic sclerites to support their bodies, cosequently the colonies are soft and flexible and therefore they have a popular name "soft coral" 25/01/2022-Priti