CLUB-TIPPED ANEMONE “Telmatactic cricoides”

The Club-tipped Anemone “Telmatactic cricoides”

An article by Hannah Mackey with The Voice Fuerteventura 

The Club-tipped anemone is the largest and most conspicuous sea anemone in the eastern Atlantic.

The species occurs throughout the tropical Atlantic and in the eastern and central Mediterranean Sea; anemones found in the Canaries are larger than in the rest of the distribution range.

WHERE TO FIND THEM
The species live within the first few meters of the sub-tidal zone, generally occupying over-head environments like crevices, caves and hollows. They are usually hidden but occasionally exposed. It’s the largest and most striking of the anemones to be found in these waters.

COLOURFUL CREATURES
The anemones vary massively in colour from whitish, brown, lavender and are often mottled and marked with flecks and splotches. They are known to harbour various crustacean symbionts (relationships between two organisms for various benefits); such as the lady scarlet shrimp, arrow crab and the thor ambionesis prawn. These all either live amongst the tentacles of the anemone, or within a distance of a few centimetres.

TENTACLES & TIPS
Tentacles with enlarged ‘club-like’ tips, surrounding the raised mouth of the anemones are present, alongside an oral disk ranging from anywhere between 5-10 cm in size. The actual column (body) of the anemone is large and barrel shaped, with a similar size to that described of the oral disk.