More Anemone Fun

Dominica, 20-40 feet, sand, turtle grass

Color variations of the same anemone? Are these turtle grass anemones?

Thanks, Bud

I don't think these are anemones. I think they are very small/young stony corals. Which coral, I have no idea.

You managed to put up one of the few anemones I do know (sorry, Will!) Depending on which taxonomic authority you follow, either the top 4 are Bundeopsis antillensis and the bottom 1 is Bundeopsis globulifera OR they are all B. antillensis. Researchers who believe there are 2 species separate them in part by the size & shape of the vesicles on the column. These vesicles contain symbiotic dinoflagellates that help feed the anemone. In antillensis they are large & round; in globulifera they are smaller & when expanded are convoluted. The grass anemones in your other post are fully expanded B. globulifera. The two have different behavior as well. Antillensis carries most of the algal symbionts in the vesicles & column so it stays contacted during the day which allows the algae to get maximum light. Globulifera has about half in the vesicles & lower column and half in the tentacles & upper column so it will expand during daylight. Both feed at night by catching zooplankton. The only good comparative images I have for them come from this paper: www.biolbull.org/cgi/reprint/186/2/182.pdf

Some researchers believe the differences are meaningless - just adaptations to slightly different habitats. The antillensis "form" is typically shallower & receives more light than the globulifera "form". There's another taxonomic twist in that yet other researchers believe that globulifera is distinct enough to be in its own genus so you will find this in some books under the name Viatrix globulifera.

Once again, thanks Leslie!

Bud