Burrowing anemone
| Burrowing anemone | |
|---|---|
| File:Burrowing anemone 0796.jpg | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Subphylum: | Anthozoa |
| Class: | Hexacorallia |
| Order: | Ceriantharia |
| Family: | Cerianthidae |
| Genus: | Ceriantheopsis |
| Species: | C. austroafricanus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ceriantheopsis austroafricanus Molodtsova, Griffiths & Acuna, 2012
| |
The burrowing anemone (Ceriantheopsis austroafricanus) is a species of tube-dwelling anemone in the family Cerianthidae.[1]
Description
[edit | edit source]The burrowing anemone grows up to 8 cm in diameter. It lives in a self-constructed wrinkled felt-like tube which may be buried quite deeply in the sand. Several rows of feeding tentacles emerge from the tube and may be salmon-coloured, brownish, creamy or purple. The outer tentacles are longer and used for food capture and defense. The inner tentacles are shorter and held more erect. These are used for food manipulation and ingestion.[2] Burrowing anemones only emerge to feed or reproduce, and they are nocturnal in their feeding habits.[3]
Distribution
[edit | edit source]The burrowing anemone has been found in Table Bay and False Bay around the Cape Peninsula and Hermanus on the south coast of South Africa, and lives from the subtidal zone down to at least 25m under water.
Ecology
[edit | edit source]This anemone is found in sandy and silty areas.[2]
References
[edit | edit source]
- ^ Molodtsova T. N., Griffiths C. L., Acuna F.H. 2011. A new species of shallow-water cerianthid (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) from the South Africa, with remarks on the genus Ceriantheopsis. Afr. Nat. Hist. 7: 1-8.
- ^ a b Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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