Phestilla melanobrachia, coral polyp phestilla

Phestilla melanobrachia Berg 1784

coral polyp phestilla

 

The coral polyp phestilla, Phestilla melanobrachia, has two colour forms, the bright orange one shown here and, as the name suggests, a black form. The name also refers to the gills as arms, rather than giils. The name is sometimes mis-spelled as melanobranchia.
It feeds on coral, which can be seen on the left of the picture.
Distribution =  western Pacific
Max size =  4cms
Family =  Tergipedidae