The Venus sea fan is similar in appearance to Gorgonia ventalina, but has a slightly more untidy shape and short, stubby side growths coming out of the main plane.

The wide-mesh sea fan (Gorgonia mariae) is also similar in appearance, but at only 30 centimetres (11.8 in), is smaller, and many of the branchlets do not interconnect.

It is a shallow-water species seldom exceeding a depth of 10 m (33 ft) and favours locations with strong wave action.

Embedded in this are the coral polyps, each of which is a filter feeder and extends its eight tentacles to catch plankton drifting past with the current.

[6] Additionally, Aspergillus infections have been linked to large-scale tissue loss, especially in larger colonies and deeper waters.