Dead man’s fingers  (Alcyonium digitatum)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Range

This soft coral has a wide distribution around the coastline of the British Isles. Elsewhere it is found in Iceland and along the Atlantic coast of Europe from Norway as far south as the Bay of Biscay, but it does not extend into the Mediterranean (3).

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

Habitat

Attaches to rocks, stones and other hard surfaces including living crabs (1). It may occasionally be found on the lowest levels of the shore at spring tide, but it is usually found below the intertidal zone down to depths of 50 m, and thrives in areas where the water movement is strong (2).

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