Tall Sea Pen
VU

Tall Sea Pen

Funiculina quadrangularis

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funiculina_quadrangularis

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Tall Sea Pen faces severe pressure from bottom trawling fishing activities that physically damage or destroy these slow-growing colonial organisms and their muddy seafloor habitats. Climate change poses additional risks through ocean acidification, which weakens the calcium carbonate structures of sea pens, and rising sea temperatures that can disrupt their feeding patterns and reproductive cycles. Pollution from agricultural runoff and coastal development further degrades water quality in the shallow marine environments where this species occurs.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Tall Sea Pen inhabits soft muddy and sandy substrates on continental shelves and slopes, typically at depths ranging from 20 to 200 meters in temperate marine waters. These colonial cnidarians anchor themselves in sediment using a muscular peduncle, forming distinctive underwater forests in areas with moderate to strong currents that facilitate filter feeding.

MARINE· major

Threatened in Antarctica

Chilean FlamingoVU

Chilean Flamingo

Phoenicopterus chilensis

Unknown
steppesvovellavCR

steppesvovellav

Gyalolechia desertorum

Unknown
VU

Ophiura robusta

Unknown
VU

Champsocephalus esox

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Tall Sea Pen classified as Vulnerable?
Tall Sea Pen is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The Tall Sea Pen faces severe pressure from bottom trawling fishing activities that physically damage or destroy these slow-growing colonial organisms and their muddy seafloor habitats. Climate change poses additional risks through ocean acidification, which weakens the calcium carbonate structures of sea pens, and rising sea temperatures that can disrupt their feeding patterns and reproductive cycles. Pollution from agricultural runoff and coastal development further degrades water quality in the shallow marine environments where this species occurs.
Where does Tall Sea Pen live?
Tall Sea Pen occurs in Antarctica, Australia, Bahamas, Canada, Congo - Kinshasa, and Croatia (plus 40 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Tall Sea Pen?
The main threats to Tall Sea Pen are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.