Sandy anemone

sandy anemone
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Subclass: Hexacorallia
Order: Actiniaria
Family: Actiniidae
Genus: Bunodactis
Species: B. reynaudi
Binomial name
Bunodactis reynaudi
(Milne Edwards, 1857)

The sandy anemone, Bunodactis reynaudi, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae.[1]

Description

The sandy anemone is a medium-sized anemone of up to 10 cm in diameter. It has over 300 short tentacles. Its body column is covered with sticky knobs to which sand and debris particles adhere. The species has a wide range of colours, including pink, green and blue.[2]

Distribution

The sandy anemone is found off the Argentinian coast and around the southern African coast from Luderitz to Durban. It inhabits waters from the intertidal to about 4m in depth.

Ecology

This anemone is often seen crowded together in small gullies with strong wave action. It feeds on mussels, whelks and urchins. It has an extremely strong contractile sphincter muscle which helps it grip and ingest passing food quickly before it is taken away by waves.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 978-1-77007-772-0
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9
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