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Related FAQs: Caribbean Anemones,
Atlantic Anemones 2, Condylactis,
Tropical West Atlantic (TWA)
Anemone Identification, TWA
Anemone Behavior, TWA
Anemone Compatibility, TWA
Anemone Selection, TWA
Anemone Systems, TWA Anemone
Feeding, TWA Anemone Disease,
TWA Anemone Reproduction, Anemones,
Anemones 2, Anemones
& Clownfishes, Aiptasia, Anemone
Identification, Anemone
Selection,
Anemone Behavior, Anemone Health, Anemone
Placement, Anemone Reproduction, Anemone Lighting, Anemone
Feeding,
Related Articles: Condylactis
Anemones, Anemones, Invertebrates, Stinging-Celled
Animals, Clownfishes, Aiptasia/Glass
Anemones, Coldwater Anemones,
Colored/Dyed Anemones,
/Diversity of Aquatic Life Series
Anemones of
the Tropical West Atlantic
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By Bob Fenner |
Lebrunia coralligens |
Almost "local" to Americans, these are the actinarians of that
occur off the coast of Florida on down to the coast of Brazil. Unfortunately,
only a couple of species (and 99% only one of these!) of Condylactis make it
directly into pet-fish markets... a few others as occasional
"contaminants" on live rock. This is a great pity, as the area offers
several outstandingly beautiful and hardy Anemone species... some with
breathtakingly gorgeous symbiotic fish and shrimp species.
| Actinoporus elegans, the Elegant Anemone. 7-9 inches
in diameter. Distinctive knobbed tentacles or a flat oral disc. Uncommon,
found in coral rubble and sand areas. Belize images. Symbionts
include the Spotted Cleaner and Squat Anemone Shrimps, and Banded Clinging
Crab. |
 
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| Bartholomea annulata, (one of) the Corkscrew
Anemone/s. 4-7 inches across. Has numerous long, thin, pointed tentacles
that are transparent, with internal whitish corkscrew markings. Often
found in discarded shells. Able to retract quickly. Red Snapping Shrimp
and Pederson's Cleaning Shrimp are symbionts. Cozumel photograph. |
 
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| Bartholomea cf. lucida, the Knobby Anemone. Similar to B.
annulata, with translucent, tapering, thin tentacles, but smaller (up
to 4 1/2" across) and having nematocyst-bearing knobs instead of
corkscrew markings. Close up at right and below: Bahamas photos of Knobby
Anemones and Pederson's Cleaning Shrimp, Periclimenes pedersoni. |
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| Condylactis gigantea, the Giant Anemone. Largest
species in the range (6-12 inches in diameter when extended). White body
and tentacles. The latter bear enlarged tips typically of a contrasting
color, though they may be white. Right: In an aquarium Below: Bahamas pix
including one of this species handful of symbionts (a Diamond Blenny,
Malacoctenus bohlkei bottom right), others include Pederson's, the Squat Anemone
Shrimp (below middle) and
the Spotted Cleaner Shrimp, and Banded Clinging Crab. |
| Captive
specimens tend to lose the "bulbiness" of their tentacles ends. At right
and below Condylactis gigantea in an aquarium and in Cozumel... Wish we were drifting northward on Santa Rosa Reef right now! |
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| And here's a C. gigantea with its commensal crab, the
Banded Clinging Crab, Mithrax cinctimanus in residence. Cozumel
pix. |
 
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| The Spotted Cleaner Shrimp, Periclimenes yucantanicus
in its host anemone, Condylactis gigantea off of Cozumel. 3/4-1 in.
overall. Also found in association with other tropical West Atlantic
anemones. |
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| Condylactis passiflora, the (Florida) Pink-Tipped
Anemone. The most commonly (and inexpensively) offered anemone species in
the trade by far (in the West). For good reasons... many colors, hardy.
Captive and Belize photos. |
| Epicystis crucifer, The Beaded Anemone. Have 200 or
so tentacles that are short, tapering. Oral disc with small bead-like
tuberculations emanating from the center. Reddish verrucae on basal disc. Aquarium
and Cozumel photos. |
 
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| Lebrunia coralligens, the Hidden Anemone. Uncommon,
hidden in cracks from which long pseudotentacles extend with roundish,
differently colored tips. Brown to bluish in color. True tentacles are long,
unbranched. Images at right and first below/ close up, Belize, bluish
colonies below in the Bahamas. Toxic to the touch. |
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| Lebrunia danae, the Branching Anemone. Has stubby,
branching "pseudotentacles" (true, longer tentacles are usually
only extended at night). Typically brownish to gray in color, a few bluish
to green. Common in the tropical West Atlantic. Able to quickly withdraw
into its closed space. Will easily sting other livestock, aquarists
exposed skin. Belize close-up, Cozumel and St. Thomas U.S.V.I. images. |
| Stichodactyla helianthus, the Sun Anemone. With
hundreds of small, thick tentacles it's easy to mistake this species as a
Corallimorpharian. Sometimes very common in shallow back reefs. Symbionts include the Squat Anemone Shrimp and Banded Clinging
Crab. A strong stinger! Belize and St. Thomas images. |
 
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| Viatrix globulifera, Turtle Grass Anemone. Tropical
West Atlantic. 1/4-3/4" diameter. This one in the shallows off Playa
los Glorias Hotel in Cozumel. |
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Other Species:
Yes there are several other actinarians that hail from the tropical West
Atlantic. Most are small, obscure... found on Sponges, Turtle Grass, and/or
rare. There's even a (pest) species of Glass Anemone (Aiptasia tagetes),
sigh. None are regularly found/collected for the ornamental aquatics
interest. For folks with a penchant for the rare, buying, culturing fresh live
rock from the area can be a viable avenue for securing specimens.
| Indo-Pacific Condylactis species. Though most of these come to use
from the tropical West Atlantic as inexpensive "Condys", there
are Indo-Pacific species. This one in Fiji. |
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Bibliography/Further Reading:
Humann, Paul 1992. Reef Creature Identification, Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas.
New World Publications, Inch. Jacksonville, Florida. 320pp.
Kenney, William R. 1986. The Atlantic Frilled Anemone. FAMA 6/86.
Straughan, Robert P.L. 1960. The Florida Sea Anemones. TFH 4/60.
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