Stubby rose anemone, stubby buried anemone • Urticina clandestina, U. coriacea
Identification
This species reaches approximately 15 cm tall and 15 cm in diameter. The anemone's column is red or bright pink, but usually isn't visible above the substrate in which the anemone is buried. The tentacles are shorty and stubby, lightly banded, and blunt-tipped, and can be green, blue, red, or pink. The oral disc, which often has a greenish tinge, tends to collect sand and gravel.
NOTE: The taxonomy of this species along the BC coast appears to be currently unresolved, so the description provided here may actually cover multiple species. Lamb and Hanby report that two forms of this anemone exist which are possibly different species. In sheltered locales they have more rounded tentacle tips, while anemones on exposed shores have more pointed tentacles. The presence of multiple species along the BC coast is also suggested by Sanamyan and Schories, who clarify that U. coriacea is an invalid name and indicate that Pacific Northwest anemones currently described as such (now described as U. clandestina) may in fact comprise multiple species.
Habitat & Range
The stubby buried anemone is found in the intertidal and shallow subtidal to 20 m. It inhabits areas with sand or gravel bottoms, where it attaches to buried rocks and buries its column so only its tentacles show. Its range extends from southern Alaska to California.
Similar Species
Taxonomic confusion aside, the buried green anemone (Anthopleura artemisia) is another species that has a buried body column and banded tentacles. It can be distinguished from the stubby rose anemone by its longer, pointed tentacles.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/122038-Urticina-coriacea
This species reaches approximately 15 cm tall and 15 cm in diameter. The anemone's column is red or bright pink, but usually isn't visible above the substrate in which the anemone is buried. The tentacles are shorty and stubby, lightly banded, and blunt-tipped, and can be green, blue, red, or pink. The oral disc, which often has a greenish tinge, tends to collect sand and gravel.
NOTE: The taxonomy of this species along the BC coast appears to be currently unresolved, so the description provided here may actually cover multiple species. Lamb and Hanby report that two forms of this anemone exist which are possibly different species. In sheltered locales they have more rounded tentacle tips, while anemones on exposed shores have more pointed tentacles. The presence of multiple species along the BC coast is also suggested by Sanamyan and Schories, who clarify that U. coriacea is an invalid name and indicate that Pacific Northwest anemones currently described as such (now described as U. clandestina) may in fact comprise multiple species.
Habitat & Range
The stubby buried anemone is found in the intertidal and shallow subtidal to 20 m. It inhabits areas with sand or gravel bottoms, where it attaches to buried rocks and buries its column so only its tentacles show. Its range extends from southern Alaska to California.
Similar Species
Taxonomic confusion aside, the buried green anemone (Anthopleura artemisia) is another species that has a buried body column and banded tentacles. It can be distinguished from the stubby rose anemone by its longer, pointed tentacles.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/122038-Urticina-coriacea
References
Harbo, R. M. (1999). Whelks to whales: Coastal marine life of the Pacific Northwest. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. P. 24.
Lamb, A., and Hanby, B. (2005). Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest [electronic resource]. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Sanamyan, K., Sanamyan, N., and Schories, D. (2014). Urticina clandestina Sanamyan, Sanamyan et McDaniel, 2013. Actinaria.com. Accessed 15/07/2014.
Authors and editors of page
Christina Meschkat, Kelly Fretwell, and Brian Starzomski (2014).
Harbo, R. M. (1999). Whelks to whales: Coastal marine life of the Pacific Northwest. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. P. 24.
Lamb, A., and Hanby, B. (2005). Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest [electronic resource]. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Sanamyan, K., Sanamyan, N., and Schories, D. (2014). Urticina clandestina Sanamyan, Sanamyan et McDaniel, 2013. Actinaria.com. Accessed 15/07/2014.
Authors and editors of page
Christina Meschkat, Kelly Fretwell, and Brian Starzomski (2014).