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Speckled Rock Anemone
Species

Speckled Rock Anemone

Oulactis muscosa, (Drayton in Dana, 1846)

marine

About Speckled Rock Anemone

Oulactis muscosa, also known as the sand anemone and speckled anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae.

Appearance

This is a large, greenish-grey to off-white species, growing to 60–80 mm. It has up to one hundred short, conical tentacles that are transparent to pale greenish to greyish-white, to pale brown, grouped into three rows. On the column, there are vertical rows of adhesive bumps (verrucae) that are relatively darker than the rest of the body. The tentacles also have horizontal black bands.

The oral disk varies in colouration, and is sometimes red, green, black or white, and may have streaks of darker colour radiating outward from its mouth.

This species can be recognized by gravel, bits of shell or coarse sand that it attaches between its tentacles.

Habitat

This anemone is found in New Zealand, and in the Australian waters of southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.

Where to see it

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