Wandering Sea Anemone, (Phlyctenactis tuberculosa )

PHOTO

Dee Why, Sydney, in kelp. (approx 90mm long). September 1995. PHOTO: Bill Rudman.

Grows to over 150mm in height. This large Sea Anemone can easily detach itself from the kelp plant on which it is normally attached, and is often found lying loose in rock pools or stranded at low tide, hence its common name.

Note added 4 July 2006: Previously misidentified on Forum as Phlyctenanthus australis [see Phil Malin's message #17047 ]

Authorship details
Rudman, W.B., 1999 (July 1) Wandering Sea Anemone, (Phlyctenactis tuberculosa ). [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/phlyaust

Related messages


Re: Your wandering anemone has wrong name

July 5, 2006
From: Roberto Sozzani

Concerning message #17047:

It seems you fall in the trap again: it's Palinurus and Panulirus :-)

Roberto

roberto.sozzani@fastwebnet.it

Sozzani, R., 2006 (Jul 5) Re: Your wandering anemone has wrong name. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17061

Thanks Roberto,
I think it is safer if I don't say another word on the subject
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Jul 5). Comment on Re: Your wandering anemone has wrong name by Roberto Sozzani. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17061

Your wandering anemone has wrong name

July 4, 2006
From: Phil Malin

Firstly, well done on producing a top class database. Just one minor correction that needs attention. Your website has a picture of the wandering anemone "Phlyctenactis tuberculosa", but for some reason has the scientific name "Phlyctenanthus australis " attached (which is very similar) .

I spoke with Karen Gowlett Holmes at CSIRO today(about a seperate issue), and she assures me that the "Phlyctenanthus australis" only attaches itself to hard substrate. She also explained to me that the external structure is tightly packed together on the "Phlyctenactis tuberculosa" as shown on your websitesphoto.

Cheers
Phil

p_malin@optusnet.com.au

Malin, P., 2006 (Jul 4) Your wandering anemone has wrong name. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17047

Dear Phil,
Thanks very much for drawing my attention to this error. I was well aware of the two very similar names but apparently fell into the trap anyway. It's not quite as bad as Palinurus and Panilurus for two genera of spiny lobsters, but I think there should have been a special place designated in purgatory for taxonomists who think it's clever to invent word traps like these.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Jul 4). Comment on Your wandering anemone has wrong name by Phil Malin. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17047

Mystery from Westernport Bay, Australia

April 3, 2002
From: Terry & Angela Bromley

Hi.
Maybe some-one can help.
Date : 1 April 2002.
Westernport Bay, Victoria, Australia.
Reef bottom - depth about 8 metres.

White elongated end w. white "fingers" around the edge.Very close together.They tend to move, but only slowly. Bright orange stem to it. Orange bottom expands & contracts til it can bed the orange bit in the sand, & in effect "stand up." The object feels spongy. Overnight this thing increased in size quite considerably, but once the tank light went on it contracted back to the original size. Several times we have had these things come up on the fishing line.

Love to hear from any-one who can help.
Angela & Terry Bromley.
Phillip Island,
Australia.

angela1@pocketmail.com.au

Bromley, T. & A., 2002 (Apr 3) Mystery from Westernport Bay, Australia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6660

Dear Terry & Angela,
Identifying mystery objects without a photo or sketch is quite difficult. I think your animal may be a Wandering Sea Anemone. Have a look at the photo on that page. It certainly changes size quite considerably, has fingerlike-like tentacles at one end and at the other end, it has a disc-like 'foot' which attaches to sea weed, rock or other hard surface. It can expand, as you describe, in sand to form a temporary anchor.
Let me know if I've guessed correctly,
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2002 (Apr 3). Comment on Mystery from Westernport Bay, Australia by Terry & Angela Bromley. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/6660

Re: re: Mystery from New South Wales

January 10, 1999
From: Felicity Alexander

Good morning Bill - thank you again for your quick response.  We have searched the sea slug forum and conclude that your assessment is more in keeping with what we saw than any of the other images.  The orange was very bright and the gray 'cells' were arranged in a remarkably straight line.  So it looks as though our mystery has been solved - once again thank you for your time.  I thoroughly enjoyed browsing the austmus site.

Regards
Felicity

Felicity.Alexander@chancellorgroup.com.au

Alexander, F., 1999 (Jan 10) Re: re: Mystery from New South Wales. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/456

Re: my New South Wales mystery

January 8, 1999
From: Felicity Alexander

Thank you very much Bill - the picture you have sent certainly has some similarity except that the 'creature' was much more orange coloured and the grey strip was from the 'tendrils' to the 'front' - this is excellent communication - I will search the rest of the information you have sent.

regards

Felicity Alexander

Felicity.Alexander@chancellorgroup.com.au

Alexander, F., 1999 (Jan 8) Re: my New South Wales mystery. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/451

Dear Felicity,
I was puzzled initially by your description but your comparison with the warty back of Archidoris wellingtonensis reminded me of this anemone.

The colour pattern is not fixed. Sometimes there is no or almost no gray and often the orange is very bright.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Jan 8). Comment on Re: my New South Wales mystery by Felicity Alexander. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/451

A mystery from New South Wales

January 7, 1999
From: Felicity Alexander

Hi Bill
Can you help identify an unknown 'creature' without photograph?  It was found in a tidal pool in Bawley Point near Bateman's Bay NSW attached to some kelp on Sunday 3.1.99.  Similar to a Nudibranch in appearance - made up of 'cells' that were mostly orange except for a grey strip of 'cells' down the back. At one end it had a wavy mantle similar to the mantle on a giant claim.  Inside the the mantle where anenome-like tendrils.  Size
about 15cm long and 8cm wide.  We have scanned the Nudibranch and Sea Snails Indo-Pacific Field Guide and found the Archidoris wellingtonensis which is similar in appearance but without the grey strip or clam-like mantle. 
Can you help?
    
Regards
Felicity Alexander

Felicity.Alexander@chancellorgroup.com.au

Alexander, F., 1999 (Jan 7) A mystery from New South Wales. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/450

Dear Felicity,
I may be quite wrong but your description reminds me of the Wandering Sea Anemone, Phlyctenanthus australis, which is often found attached to kelp. At times its drops off and can be found rolling around, hence its common name. It certainly looks a bit like Archidoris wellingtonensis but the oral tentacles, which expand when the animal is undisturbed and immersed in water, clearly show that it is a sea anemone.
This is the third animal I have been asked to identify without photos in the last few days. Is this what you saw?
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Jan 7). Comment on A mystery from New South Wales by Felicity Alexander . [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/450