Heteractis malu

Heteractis malu
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Class:	Anthozoa
Subclass:	Hexacorallia
Order:	Actiniaria
Family:	Stichodactylidae
Genus:	Heteractis
Species:	H. malu
Binomial name
Heteractis malu (Haddon & Shackleton, 1893)
Synonyms
Macranthea cookei (Reed 1971) Radianthus papillosa (Dunn 1974, Moyer 1976) Antheopsis papillosa (Cutress 1977)

Heteractis malu, also known as the malu anemone, delicate sea anemone^[1] or white sand anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Stichodactylidae.^[2]

Description

This anemone has stout, sparse tentacles, almost always under 40mm in length, usually tipped with magenta colouration. These tentacles vary in length, even among a single radial row.^[3]

The column has a pale cream or yellow colouration, with patches of deep yellow or orange sometimes present. It remains buried in sediment up to the level of the oral disc.^[4]

The oral disc grows to a maximum diameter of 200 mm, is brown or purplish, possibly with a white, radial pattern. It may sometimes be bright green, but this is rare.^[5]

This species is similar in appearance to Macrodactyla doreensis, Heteractis aurora, and Heteractis crispa. These species are also found burrowed into the sediment, and share the same red or yellow blotches.^[6]

Distribution

Heteractis malu occurs in scattered areas ranging from Japan in the north, to the islands of Hawaii, and to Australia.^[7]

This species is inhabited by the yellow clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii)^[8]

References