Anemone ID

[lancer99]

This little guy (3/4" across) came along as a hitchhiker on the bottom of a sadly recently-deceased Favia, which was damaged during shipping:

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/spoon99/DSCN4492nemcrop.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii249/spoon99/DSCN4487nemcrop.jpg

I immediately thought "majano," but because the tentacles are knobbly, I don't think that's right.....maybe this is just wishful thinking, but it looks kind of like a baby Heteractis aurora.

The second pic is much more indicative of its true color. My cam ignores white balance settings in macro mode.

Any help is greatly appreciated,
Thx,

-R

[Gary Majchrzak]

I agree it appears to be a very small Heteractis aurora

[garygb]

It could also be a baby phymanthus. The one in the link is all colored up, but sometimes they look more like yours.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/2080203927/in/set-72157600000707020/

[garygb]

http://flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/894441829/in/set-72157600010692571/

This one looks like a larger, darker version of yours.

[lancer99]

garygb,

Never thought of that. Because I have flower anemones in my seagrass tank, I always think of Phymanthus/Epicystis as being New World only.

But I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that it's a Heteractis, however unlikely that may be :)

-R

[gastone]

Robert, does your anemone resemble this: http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c77/brewsters34/My%20tank/FishTank1-30-06003.jpg

Did you get your favia frag from another WAMAS member? In WAMAS this anemone is known as the "Borneman" Anemone. Some time ago Michael G. got one of these from Eric Borneman. They split via pedal fissure. Not much in the way of info is available. I contacted Eric about these and he said he received one on some LR he got ten years ago or so. FWIW Eric contacted Dr. Ron at some point and he was unable to help ID. He also stated that he didn't believe it was Phymanthus.

BTW my pic was just a few weeks after I had received the anemone. It was a bit bleached but had colored up and split many times. It has an extremely bright green pedal disk w/purple tipped corrugated tentacles.

Garrett.

[garygb]

It could be a baby H. aurora, it will be interesting to watch what develops. If it is, it will dig into the sand and it will also have a red/orangish base.

[gastone]

Robert, here is a clone from one of my anemones that I've passes along to another WAMAS member.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c77/brewsters34/borneman.jpg

[traveller7]

I am with Garrett on this one, if you have any frags, rock, etc., from WAMAS or CMAS-MD folks, it is more likely one of the non-hosting specimens from the Eric B lineage. Old pic's of mine:
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/14159Mr_and_Mrs_O_in_Borneman_Anemones.JPG

[lancer99]

Garrett/Traveller,

Thx...but I don't think it's from CMAS/WAMAS. The Favia was from Phishybusiness, and died in only five days, with some sort of infection that started on its highest point, which makes me think the box was inverted at some point during shipment.

I only discovered the 'nem on the sixth day when I removed what was left of the Favia...threw the little stub into a temporary tank where I'm growing Chaeto & Caulerpa for the WAMAS mtg...then, on the seventh day, I rested, and found him fully attached and open.

You can't see it from the pics, but his foot is buried in sand.

Wish it had been local, but no go....

-R

[traveller7]

If you saw the anemone in the bag from Phishy, understood on source, but "tells" (verrucae, tents, oral disk, coloration, column, etc.) are all screaming "borneman". Isolate it and give it 8 weeks, I'll wager it matches the other pictures :)

ftw: next time you order from Serdar, let me know, I'll add a few items for a new project :D

[lancer99]

Will do.

Not to be disputative (if that's even a word), but....I've had a look through most of my books, and checked out some online resources....morphologically (through my age-addled eyes), it's a dead cert for a Phymanthus/Epicystis species.

What are the defining characteristics that would distinguish it as "Borneman" anemone?

-R

BTW Traveller, Serdar has generously offered to replace the Favia, will prolly be ordering from him again soon.

[OrionN]

I got two of these. One from Austin and one from a LFS here in Corpus. They are beautiful small non hosting anemones. They feed well and reproduce by division. Feed them well and they will reproduce. Mine does not get larger than about 3 inches or so before divide.