Unidentified Floridian Anemone #3
The third unidentified anemone we are featuring seems superficially similar to Epicystis crucifer (Flower/Rock Anemone), but I am nearly certain that it is not. Notably, unlike E. crucifer, there are no magenta ‘beads’ on the underside of the oral disc. Also, the tentacles of Epicystis crucifer only grow around the perimeter of the oral disc, whereas this anemone develops some tentacles within the center of the oral disc. The underside is a light brown color and smooth. The tentacles have small ‘bulbs’ and pointy tips, similar to the ‘light bulb anemones’ found in the Gulf of Mexico, although the ‘bulbs’ are considerably smaller in scale. I have come across this species only about half a dozen times in all my diving in the Florida Keys. The mottled, earth-toned coloration makes them extremely well camouflaged on the seafloor, so it is likely that I have overlooked quite a few more. Preferred depth ranges from 10-20 feet on mixed hard bottom/gorgonian/macroalgae coverage. They live solitarily, anchored in small crevices and holes in the rock. Maximum size (that I’ve seen) is about 4 cm in diameter. Mottled colors vary from one individual to another, mostly brown and grey tones, and usually some blue around the mouth. Occasionally there will be a small amount of orange color splashed in as well. This anemone is almost certainly photosynthetic, as it will “reach” for the sun when in a shaded/low light situation. It eagerly feeds on frozen Mysis sp. shrimp. For size reference, this individual is living inside a Lithopoma tectum snail shell (about 2.5 cm in diameter).
