The nippled sea fan Eunicella microthela (Lamouroux, 1816) previously known by the junior synonym Eunicella papillosa (Esper, 1797), is a species of gorgonian sea fan in the family Gorgoniidae.

It grows upright or in bushy masses, with irregular or frequent branches coming off the main basal stem.

The branches are covered on all sides with many small bumps from which the polyps extend.

[3] This sea fan is found only around the southern African coast from Lüderitz to Sodwana Bay in 1–360 m of water.

This sea fan usually grows in areas sheltered from strong current.