Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL), Hawaii, USA
Info
Relicanthus daphneae was first described in 2006 as a particularly large deep-sea sea anemone, which, however, differed so much from previously known sea anemones due to some peculiarities that the knowledge magazine Scienxx called it a "pseudo sea anemone" in the report "Surprise: Giant sea anemone is not a sea anemone at all".
After consultation with the scientists of World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), it was confirmed to us that Relicanthus daphneae was correctly assigned to the order Actiniaria (sea anemones).
This solitary giant anemone has attracted attention by some peculiarities:
- size up to 100cm
- dense crown of extremely long, strongly tapering tentacles, which resemble tentacles of sea anemones on the one hand and of cylinder roses on the other hand
Habitat:
Relicanthus daphneae lives in the deep-sea plain of the East Pacific Rise (Pacific Ocean) and has been found on hard substrates, including vertical rock faces; at sites near vents (about100 meters from thermal vents, but not directly on vents).
The base of the animal typically adheres to large basalt outcrops cliffs or boulders.
Brief Description:
The body column of living specimens have a stout cylinder between 20cm - 100cm in diameter, with extremely long, strongly pointed tentacles
The mouth disk of the large sea anemone is flat to slightly convex, with particularly prominent lips, the pedal base and column are smooth and strong, the edge of the body column may protrude slightly beyond the pedal disk.
Tentacles are slightly paler than or the same color as oral disc, up to 100 have been counted, they are circular at the base and extremely long, tapering in living specimens.
Inner tentacles are significantly longer than outer tentacles, three to four times longer than the body column.
Interesting:
Preserved specimens usually lack tentacles, and the oral disc was ringed with small openings where the tentacles were originally attached.
The body tissue of the sea anemone does not appear to contain bacteria.
Color:
Live sea anemones are pale pink to purple.
The central mouth shows prominent deep purple to maroon lips, and the actinopharynx is the same color as the oral disc and is heavily ribbed.
Biology
Boloceroides daphneae is solitary, and there is no evidence of asexual reproduction by longitudinal fission.
Tentacle autotomy appears to be a defensive or protective response, as the animals may shed the tentacles if disturbed.
Autotomized tentacles are a means of asexual reproduction in another family of sea anemones ( Boloceroididae, e.g., Pearse 2002).
The eggs are larger than any previously reported, suggesting that the larvae are large and potentially long-lived.
Individuals of Boloceroides daphneae occur sporadically and without any particular community of sessile invertebrates, although a mobile macrofauna of bythograeid and galathatheid crabs and zoarcid fishes may occur at the same sites.
Most individuals occur singly and are rarely found in pairs.
Etymology
Named for Daphne Gail Fautin (*25. Mai 1946, ✝12. März 2021), in honor of her beloved tribute to actinarian systematics.
Synonyms:;
Boloceroides daphneae Daly, 2006
Relicanthus daphneae Rodríguez, Barbeitos, Brugler, Crowley, Grajales, Gusmão, Häussermann, Reft & Daly, 2014
Citation: Rodríguez E, Barbeitos MS, Brugler MR, Crowley LM, Grajales A, Gusmão L, et al. (2014) Hidden among Sea Anemones: The First Comprehensive Phylogenetic Reconstruction of the Order Actiniaria (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Hexacorallia) Reveals a Novel Group of Hexacorals. PLoS ONE 9(5): e96998. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0096998
After consultation with the scientists of World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), it was confirmed to us that Relicanthus daphneae was correctly assigned to the order Actiniaria (sea anemones).
This solitary giant anemone has attracted attention by some peculiarities:
- size up to 100cm
- dense crown of extremely long, strongly tapering tentacles, which resemble tentacles of sea anemones on the one hand and of cylinder roses on the other hand
Habitat:
Relicanthus daphneae lives in the deep-sea plain of the East Pacific Rise (Pacific Ocean) and has been found on hard substrates, including vertical rock faces; at sites near vents (about100 meters from thermal vents, but not directly on vents).
The base of the animal typically adheres to large basalt outcrops cliffs or boulders.
Brief Description:
The body column of living specimens have a stout cylinder between 20cm - 100cm in diameter, with extremely long, strongly pointed tentacles
The mouth disk of the large sea anemone is flat to slightly convex, with particularly prominent lips, the pedal base and column are smooth and strong, the edge of the body column may protrude slightly beyond the pedal disk.
Tentacles are slightly paler than or the same color as oral disc, up to 100 have been counted, they are circular at the base and extremely long, tapering in living specimens.
Inner tentacles are significantly longer than outer tentacles, three to four times longer than the body column.
Interesting:
Preserved specimens usually lack tentacles, and the oral disc was ringed with small openings where the tentacles were originally attached.
The body tissue of the sea anemone does not appear to contain bacteria.
Color:
Live sea anemones are pale pink to purple.
The central mouth shows prominent deep purple to maroon lips, and the actinopharynx is the same color as the oral disc and is heavily ribbed.
Biology
Boloceroides daphneae is solitary, and there is no evidence of asexual reproduction by longitudinal fission.
Tentacle autotomy appears to be a defensive or protective response, as the animals may shed the tentacles if disturbed.
Autotomized tentacles are a means of asexual reproduction in another family of sea anemones ( Boloceroididae, e.g., Pearse 2002).
The eggs are larger than any previously reported, suggesting that the larvae are large and potentially long-lived.
Individuals of Boloceroides daphneae occur sporadically and without any particular community of sessile invertebrates, although a mobile macrofauna of bythograeid and galathatheid crabs and zoarcid fishes may occur at the same sites.
Most individuals occur singly and are rarely found in pairs.
Etymology
Named for Daphne Gail Fautin (*25. Mai 1946, ✝12. März 2021), in honor of her beloved tribute to actinarian systematics.
Synonyms:;
Boloceroides daphneae Daly, 2006
Relicanthus daphneae Rodríguez, Barbeitos, Brugler, Crowley, Grajales, Gusmão, Häussermann, Reft & Daly, 2014
Citation: Rodríguez E, Barbeitos MS, Brugler MR, Crowley LM, Grajales A, Gusmão L, et al. (2014) Hidden among Sea Anemones: The First Comprehensive Phylogenetic Reconstruction of the Order Actiniaria (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Hexacorallia) Reveals a Novel Group of Hexacorals. PLoS ONE 9(5): e96998. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0096998
