Found in Bali - odd cnidarian? John Brandt... ?

[Anonymous]

John, you are, in my limited experience/opinion, one of the most knowledgeable people when it comes to identifying organisms. David and I came across this creature in Tulamben, right after initial descent in shallow water (beyond the rock rubble, though). It couldn't have been more than 5 or 10 meters deep, and our Aussie dive instructor said that it retreats into a whole when disturbed, rather like a tube anemone (but with no visible tube).

What say you?

 

[Anonymous]

Dang.. not even you, John...???? 8O

 

[wade1]

Looks kinda like a seapen, with short tentacles. Somewhat matches the description in that they can get really small when they retract. No hole typically, but then can mush under the substrate.

Wade

 

[Anonymous]

This thing was close to a foot across (readjusting for the vision thing), quite rounded in shape, reminding me of a flower. We didn't disturb it enough to cause it to retract.

 

[Anonymous]

Any other pics of it? The polyps don't look right to me to be a sea pen. My guess would be a Ceriantharian of some kind.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, never mind that guess.

 

[Anonymous]

Why nevermind that guess? No, we didn't take any other pics of it, I guess because it was so easily accessible (snorkeling, for instance, though we never did again).

I'm quite stumped on this one! Better see if Galleon has any ideas.

 

[Anonymous]

Anthony and Bob emailed me back, they seem to agree that it's likely a branching anemone,

Actinodenron (cf. arboreum perhaps)...

Something with which I am entirely unfamiliar, but one of his comments and questions leaves me with the feeling that it's not at all a good aquarium specimen (maybe in a dedicated system).