Sea Anemones of New Zealand

Habitat

Column

Oral disc

Tentacles

Distribution

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Edited version of Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1868-1961, Volume 41, 1908, p385
Art. XXXVI.—A Review of the New Zealand Actiniaria known to Science, together with a Description of Twelve New Species.
(by F. G. A. Stuckey)

Thoe albens (sp. nov.).

This species in expansion is opaque-white, but is so pulpy that in contraction it looks like a small shapeless mass of transparent jelly. This makes it difficult to kill well, and extremely difficult to make good histological preparations of the animal.

Pedal-disc.—Adherent to Lessonia, below low-water mark. The ectoderm and endoderm are thicker than the mesoglœa. The latter shows the fibrous structure characteristic of most actinians. It also contains a number of lacunæ. The nerve-layer of the ectoderm is very well developed. The disc spreads out a little beyond the column, the outspread portion being marked with golden-yellow radial lines.

Column.—Similar in structure to the pedal-disc, but thinner. It has the appearance of having a mesoglœal circular muscle throughout its whole height. It is smooth, with no suckers or verrucæ. Neither are there any visible cinclides except when the acontia are ejected. The colour is white.

Sphincter Muscle.—There is a spindle-shaped thickening of the mesogloea in the upper part of the column, causing a slight bulging of the wall. In the sphincter the muscle spaces are very close together, but otherwise this muscle is of the usual sagartian type.

Tentacles.—There are 96, in four cycles, 12 + 12 + 24 + 48 = 96. In colour they are opaque-white, like the column; in shape, conical and tapering. The length is rather more than half the diameter of the disc. At the base of each tentacle is an incomplete ring of yellow pigment, the open part directed inwards and the outer circumferences of the rings close together, so as to make an almost continuous ring of yellow round the top of the column under the tentacles (fig. 7). Nematocysts are numerous in the tentacles. The ectoderm and endoderm are relatively thick, the mesoglœa being reduced to a mere streak. The muscle-bearing processes on both sides are few in number. The nerve-layer is compact, and appears almost as a line in cross-sections. There are numerous large irregular spaces in the ectoderm.

Oral Disc.—Colour white, as in the tentacles and column. Mouth is set on a peristome. The stomodæum is white, and there are 2 siphonoglyphs.

Mesenteries. — Owing to the difficulty of killing and fixing this species I was unable to determine accurately the number and arrangement of the mesenteries.

Acontia: — These are emitted reluctantly, some through the mouth, others from cinclides which are placed on the column just under the yellow line at the bases of the tentacles. The acontia are long, and contain very large numbers of nematocysts, together with many nerve-cells. The processes of the nerve-cells run between the closely packed nematocysts (fig. 8).

Habits.—This species lives in the chinks among the “roots” of Lessonia. It is impatient of light.

Dimensions.—In full expansion it is 12 mm. high and 10 mm. in diameter. The pedal-disc is rather wider than the column.

Distribution.— Of the species—Island Bay. less ↑

Common small anemone.
Habitat
Under wharf piles, in rock pools, on open surfaces of rocks and reefs.

Column
Smooth brown or orange column, with white or pale green stripes from top to bottom. Can emit white stinging threads from small holes on side of column. 10 to 20mm high.

Oral disc
Flat, orange (or green according to http://australianmuseum.net.au), slightly larger in diameter than column, 15 to 20mm diameter. Mouth white.

Tentacles
4 whorls of short pale tentacles.

Distribution
Endemic, throughout NZ.

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Edited version of Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1868-1961, Volume 11, 1878, p308
Art. XXXII.—The Sea Anemones of New Zealand.
By Prof. Hutton.. :

Of the genus: All the tentacles simple. Column pierced with loop-holes.
Disc imperfectly retractile; column smooth, without suckers, perforated by a few large loop-holes.

Column cylindrical, broader than high; yellowish-orange, vertically striped with yellowish-green, each band having a central line of darker green. Disc circular; reddish orange or brick red, radially streaked with darker; margin not beaded; mouth elevated, round; throat ribbed. Tentacles in four indistinct rows round the disc, short, about half the diameter of the disc, conical with blunt points, and often much swollen at the base. Their colour is opaque white. Diameter, about 7 to 10mm.

Common in rock-pools near Dunedin. Sometimes the column is vertically streaked with red and white.

Edited version of Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1868-1961, Volume 41, 1908, p370
Art. XXXV.—On Two Anemones found in the Neighbourhood of Wellington—Leiotealia thompsoni and Sagartia albocincta.
By F. G. A. Stuckey, M.A. :

Pedal-disc.—This only slightly exceeds the breadth of the column, and is about equal to the height. It is strongly adherent, and the animal can hardly be removed without damage.

Column.—The shape is cylindrical. The colour is deposited in alternating vertical stripes, pink and white, pellucid brown and white, brown and yellow, or green and yellow. The upper part often assumes an orange, the lower a greenish tinge. In full expansion the body-wall is semi-transparent. The wall is pierced by a number of irregularly arranged cinclides, which are easily made out in a fresh specimen. They have thickened margins.

Tentacles.—These are all opaque, white, and rather fine. They are regularly arranged in four whorls, 12 + 12 + 24 + 48. They can be wholly retracted, though the favourite position of the animal when not distended is one in which the tentacles are partially withdrawn, the tips forming a white central mass. In shape the tentacles are conical and pointed.

Oral Disc.—The disc is bright orange in colour, with radial markings. The mouth is set on a peristome.

Œsophagus.—The œsophagus is dull white, with brighter vertical lines.

Acontia are emitted through the mouth and through the cinclides already mentioned. Some specimens emit the acontia much more reluctantly than others.

Dimensions.—Height, 10–12 mm.; and diameter, 7–10 mm.

Habits and Locality.—This anemone is found on rocks, stones, and the roots of seaweed. It is very firmly attached, and can only be removed with difficulty. It opens freely in captivity. It is common in the neighbourhood of Wellington, and is also recorded from Lyttelton. Hutton's original specimens were found at Dunedin. less ↑

Habitat
Intertidal to 12m.

Column
Thin walled, no adhesive discs, light orange with dark brown stripes from top to bottom. Can emit white stinging threads from small lens-shaped holes on the white stripes on the middle third of column. 40mm high.

Oral disc
Often olive-brown but varies, 20mm diameter. Outside of the mouth is pink with red lines, and red inside.

Tentacles
4 whorls of numerous fine salmon pink to white tentacles.

Distribution
Endemic, North Island and Marlborough Sounds.

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Edited version of Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1868-1961, Volume 41, 1908, p384
Art. XXXVI.—A Review of the New Zealand Actiniaria known to Science, together with a Description of Twelve New Species.
By F. G. A. Stuckey, M.A. :

Pedal-disc.—The ectoderm is thick, and presents no unusual feature. The mesoglœa is much “vacuolated,” and the endoderm is thin.

Column.—The colour is dirty-white and olive-brown in alternate longitudinal lines, or the whole may be dirty-white, or grey, or even pink. There is a circular muscle in the wall throughout its entire length carried on regular folds of the mesoglœa.

Tentacles.—These are very fine and threadlike. Their colour is salmon-pink, though in some specimens they are white. They are of different lengths in the different cycles. There are several cycles, but the tentacles are so numerous and crowded that it is impossible to make out how many cycles there are. Judging from cross-sections I should say there are four cycles. In structure the tentacles resemble those of the last species (S. nutrix), but there is a specially well-developed nervous layer.

Oral Disc.—Colour olive-brown generally, but there is considerable variation. The structure is identical with that of the tentacles, and closely resembling the same part of S. nutrix.

Stomodœum.—The colour is a rich pink, with darker-coloured red longitudinal lines. The inner edge of the mouth is also red. The stomodæum is freely everted, when the red lines, together with the edge of the mouth, form a rosette-like design on the disc. There are 2 siphonoglyphs.

Acontia.—These are extruded through lens-shaped cinclides, which are invisible except at the time of discharge. These cinclides appear to be on the white lines only, and to be limited to a zone encircling the middle third of the body..

Dimensions.—My largest specimens were 40 mm. high and 20 mm. in diameter, but I am told there are larger ones on the piles of the Queen's Wharf, Wellington.

Habits and Locality.—Professor H. B. Kirk has brought me specimens from Plimmerton. I myself have found the species in large numbers on the breastwork of the Thorndon Esplanade, Wellington Harbour, and on the piles of the baths. This anemone adheres so strongly that it is impossible to remove it without damage. It is attached also to shells of mussels, and this makes it possible to obtain good specimens. less ↑

Habitat

Column

Oral disc

Tentacles

Distribution

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Edited version of : Art. XXXII. - Contributions to the Cœlenterate Fauna of New Zealand

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 1 January 1879
By Professor F. W. Hutton, of the Otago University



Diactis, gen. nov.

Column smooth, divided into two portions, of which the upper is retractile into the lower. Tentacles numerous, subulate, arranged in many rows.

This new genus belongs to the family Antheadæ. Actinia nivea, Lesson (Voy. Coquille, Zoology, chap. xiv., p. 81, pl. III., f. 8), from Peru, probably belongs to it.

D. crocata, sp. nov.

Column: Lower portion longer than broad, expanded at the base, contracted in the middle, pale yellowish brown with numerous white longitudinal streaks; upper portion shorter and narrower than the lower, yellowish orange, very faintly streaked with lighter, and getting brown towards the disc. Disc expanded, as broad as the lower portion of the column, circular, concave, yellow-orange. Tentacles numerous, half the diameter of the disc in length, and of the same colour. Mouth small, elongated, white.

Port Chalmers, a single specimen on Boltenia australis.

The body of this animal varies remarkably in form, and is constantly changing its shape. When normally expanded the column is about an inch long. The tentacles are not very sensitive, but can be retracted with the upper part of the column into the lower part. less ↑

A common anemone.
Habitat
Grows outwards or downwards from the substrate. Often associated with mussels in the shade on wharf piles, and sides of rocks near the low water mark. So seen for example in Wellington harbour, but not on the southern Cook strait coast where mussels are also absent.

Pedal disc
Firmly attached, wider than column (sometimes very much wider, seemingly stretched over the rocks). Can move from place to place.

Column
Smooth sided, with white and coloured stripes from top to bottom, with a distinct "neck" at the top. The usually orange stripes may alternatively be pink, yellow or transparent white. The neck is the same colour as the stripes. When the anemone is partially contracted the neck may no longer be visible, but the tentacles may still protrude. When contracted the column often has horizontal wrinkle lines. The neck is constricted in a collar at the top of the main column, then tends to flare out at the top. When fully extended the collar is less pronounced.
Can extrude white stinging "acontia" threads through "cinclides" in the column wall if disturbed. Up to 50mm diameter and 80mm tall when fully extended.

Oral disc
Edge ruffled into lobes, and the disc is often not visible due to the tentacles curled above it. The disc is a dark version of the stripes in colour, with a very bright, ridged, orange mouth and throat. The disc is up to 60mm diameter.

Tentacles
Numerous fine, 15 to 20mm long tentacles giving feathery appearance. The tentacles are described as 'the same colour as the column' by Parry, but as usually 'a deep, rich brown' by Cook, they seem to vary from almost white to dark brown. Additionally there may be 12 much larger 'catch' tentacles (up to 60mm long) on the inner whorl, these may appear darker when contracted, or transparent when stretch out.
Appears to be a filter feeder on plankton.

Distribution
Endemic, throughout NZ.

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Edited version of Records of the Canterbury Museum, Vol 6, No 2, p138-8, Aug 1952
Article: The Actiniaria of New Zealand - a check-list of recorded and new species, a review of the literature, and a key to the commoner forms Part 2
By G. Parry. :

Genus DIADUMENE Stephenson, 1920
Diadumenidae with well-developed basal disc. Column smooth, divisible into scapus and capitulum which are separated from one another by a collar round the upper margin of the scapus. Scapus with cinclides. Margin of capitulum tentaculate. Sometimes the collar smooths away when the body is fully extended. No distinct sphincter. Tentacles long, numerous, more or less regularly arranged, not or imperfectly retractile. Some or all of the inner tentacles typically thicker than the other tentacles, and form catch-tentacles, containing, among other nematocysts, atrichs and holotrichs. In some individuals, however, these special tentacles may be absent. Outer tentacles sometimes with macrobasic amastigophors. Siphonoglyphs and directive mesenteries variable in number in connection with asexual reproduction. Six or a few more perfect mesenteries. Mesenteries more numerous above than below. Retractors diffuse, more or less restricted. Parietobasilar and basilar muscles weak. Perfect mesenteries and the stronger imperfect ones, fertile. Acontia well-developed, with basitrichs and microbasic p-mastigophors. Cnidom:—spirocysts, basitrichs, atrichs, holotrichs, microbasic p-mastigophors, and microbasic and macrobasic amastigophors.

Diadumene neozelanica Carlgren, 1924
The anatomy of this species has been described very fully by Carlgren, from the Mortensen collection, but there has been no account, to date, of the living animal, and its environment.

The base is very firmly adherent, and only detached with some difficulty. The epithelium of the base is very thin and easily torn. Generally it is a little wider than the column, but in some cases may be very much wider, the animal being stretched over the substratum, to such an extent that the animal seems unable to expand in the normal way. The base is very mobile, and the animals tend to move about aquaria by means of its muscular activity. The column is about as broad as high—sometimes more elongated when the animal is fully expanded—and is usually wider at the basal end. The scapus is striped longitudinally with white and orange, in most cases. Its epithelium is thin and delicate, even when contracted. It is smooth when the animal is fully expanded; very delicately wrinkled with transverse and longitudinal striations when contracted. The cinclides are numerous, and are arranged in rings from the region of the collar, where the scapus and capitulum meet, to the base. They are placed one above the other, always on the white stripes of the scapus. The collar between scapus and capitulum is prominent, although it is less so in fully expanded animals. The capitulum is trumpet shaped, expanding suddenly below the tentacles, to form an undulated margin. It has the same colour as the coloured stripes of the scapus—it may be orange, pink, yellow, or transparent white. It is paler towards the collar, deepening towards the margin. The skin is even more delicate than that of the scapus. During the daylight hours, the animal is usually only partly expanded, the capitulum being retracted into the scapus, with the tentacles just protruding. At night, or in a dim light, there is full expansion of both parts of the column so that the anemone may almost treble its size.
The tentacles are very fine and fairly long, and so numerous that they give the appearance of a fine feathery ruffle round the top of the capitulum. The edge of the disc is generally folded into 5-6 lobes. An inner ring of twelve catch-tentacles, immediately distinguishes this species from the genus Metridium. The tentacles of this inner ring are of the same colour as the others (though if they are contracted they look much darker)—that is, they are the same as the colour of the column. They are much stouter and longer than the other tentacles and carry a special armature of nematocysts. They may extend widely beyond the animal and have been observed to sweep slowly about in the water.
The disc is the same colour as the rest of the animal, though perhaps the colour may be a little more intense. It is not often visible, usually being covered, more or less, by the tentacles. The peristome is raised a little above the surrounding disc. The actinopharynx is longitudinally ridged, the ridges being very brilliant in colour and conspicuous. Size varies greatly, probably with age. Expansion alters the size and shape perhaps more in this species than in any other. For a fully expanded specimen (in a dim light)—width of base 5 cm., height of column 8 cm., width of crown 6 cm., length of outer fine tentacles 1.5-2 cm, length of catch-tentacles up to 6 cm.
Nothing is known of the reproduction of this species, other than that it has non-yolky eggs, and hence, presumably, direct development. The British species, D.cincta may reproduce by asexual fission, but this has never been observed in D. neozelanica. The evidence in its favour, however, is that it is a gregarious species, and that groups of individuals of varying size, and the same colour variety, are often found centred round one small area.
The anemone is found more or less commensal with the common mussel, Mytilus edulis. In mussel beds it is common along with tube worms (Pomatoceros sp.) and acorn barnacles. The reason for this commensalism seems merely that all these animals require the same ecological conditions. In all the places where I have found it, there is one common condition that there is an almost continual current of sea water, rushing back and forth with the tide. Normally, they are exposed only by the low water springs, and then usually for a short time. However, they are able to withstand considerable exposure, as I once found a group at Governor's Bay (Lyttelton Harbour), which were exposed to the mid-day summer sun for some hours, and became dry and hard to the touch. These seemed to survive quite well. In common with the other animals living in the same habitat, the anemone feeds microphagously from the plankton carried by the sea water. Although I have been unable to see ciliary currents on the disc and tentacles, I have been quite unable to feed this species macrophagously, but in natural conditions it will catch small planktonic crustaceans. Its gut never contains the shells of crabs etc., like other species of actinians. Collected from Heathcote Estuary (causeway at MacCormack's Bay and Monck's Bay); Governor's Bay, Lyttelton Harbour, on rocky shore; on piles at the end of a breakwater, Lyttelton Inner Harbour; on exposed reefs on the eastern side of Bank's Peninsula. Further north, I have found it at Tauranga, and on wharf piles at Devonport, Auckland Harbour. Garlgren reports it from Slipper Island, and Kaipara.

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Edited description from Videnskabelige Meddelelser by Dansk naturhistorisk Forening i København, vol 76, pp 239-245

Diagnosis. Column smooth. Collar very distinct in contracted state of the column. Margin somewhat undulated. Tentacles 160 to about 200 (or more) cylindrical, the inner considerably longer than the outer. Tentacles distributed over the greater part of the oral disc.

Colour?

Dimensions in preserved, rather contracted state: Largest specimen from Kaipara: length 2 cm, breadth 1.3 cm, that from Slipper Island, length: 1.5 cm, diameter of the column a short distance from the pedal disc 0.6 — 0.8 cm, diameter of the oral disc 0.7 cm, length of the inner tentacles about 0.3 cm. Smallest specimen : height of the column 0.7 cm, breadth of the pedal disc 0.5 cm.

Occurrence. Slipper Island, low water, together with Thoe vagrans. Kaipara, on conglomerates of sand.

Exterior aspect. The pedal disc is well developed, of almost the same breadth as the oral disc. The column is smooth with indistinct longitudinal furrows, which are more distinct and more numerous above the collar. In all specimens there is namely a perspicuous collar at some distance from the tentacles as in Metridium. Whether this collar is formed by a contraction of the pennons in the lower part of the body, resulting in a small invagination of the upper part of the column in the lower, or the collar is visible also in not contracted specimens, it is difficult to decide in preserved specimens. The circumstance, that in two very expended and elongated specimens there was a low, but rather distinct wall in the same place as in the other more contracted specimen, possibly speaks for the presence of a real collar. Above the collar the column is broader towards the tentacles at the same time as showing a tendency to be lobed. The cinclides are not visible in contracted state of the animal, but I have observed them in sections as well in the vicinity of the oral part of the actinopharynx, and at the basal disc as a!so in the collar region. Thus they are probably scattered. The tentacles are very numerous, I counted in the largest specimen about 160 tentacles. They are more cylindrical than conical, the inner tentacles considerably longer than the outer, one part of which are very small. Almost the whole disc is provided with tentacles.

Remarks. It is possible that this species is identical with Metridium canum Stuckey 1914 p. 134 from the Kermadec Islands, but the description of this species given by Stuckey is so imperfect and short, that it is impossible to decide its place. Among other things Stuckey does not mention any collar.

(ed. there is a very extensive scientific description that followed, but detail omitted here) less ↑

Common small anemone found on kelp.
Habitat
Brown kelp, often in cup shaped hollows between stalk and branches.

Column
Smooth, often deep brown but varies from yellow through olive. Often visually striped from top to bottom. A wrinkle around the column, about a third of the way up, acts as a brood pouch.
10 to 20mm high.

Oral disc
Iridescent, orange or green fading towards the outside, 10 to 15mm diameter. Mouth light blue or bright pink to magenta with an orange throat.

Tentacles
Light brown tinged with green, up to 96, 2 to 5mm long, tentacles in 4 whorls. Outer whorls maybe white, blue/green or pale blue with brown tips.

Distribution
Endemic, throughout NZ.

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An edited version of Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1868-1961, Art. XXXVI, Volume 41, 1908, pp374-398.
A Review of the New Zealand Actiniaria known to Science, together with a Description of Twelve New Species.
By F. G. A. Stuckey, M.A.


This is the brown sagartian mentioned by Farquhar as probably forming the food of the butter-fish. It is found only on Lessonia, where it establishes itself in colonies.

Column.—The colour is, in general, deep brown, but there is some variation. Some specimens were greenish, some blue, and some yellow. The whole animal is iridescent. No cinclides are present.

Tentacles.—These are short and fine, and placed at the edge of the disc in three or four crowded cycles.

Oral Disc.—The colour is generally iridescent green, but it is very variable. The mouth is pink or magenta, and there are radial markings. The structure of the disc resembles that of the tentacles, but the musculature is weaker.

Presumably the young of this species are retained in the body till fully formed, for I found one specimen which had twelve young ones attached to the outside of the body-wall in a regular transverse circle about one-third of the height of the wall from the foot. If the young are not retained till they are considerably advanced, it is difficult to see how they can become attached in this manner unless there are external brood - pouches. I have seen no evidence in support of the latter view.

Acontia.—These are emitted from the mouth readily, but not in great numbers.

Dimensions.—Height, 12 mm.; breadth, about the same.

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An edited version of Papers from Dr. Th. Mortensen's Pacific Expedition 1914-16. XXI.
Actiniaria from New Zealand and its Subantarctic Islands.
By Oskar Carlgren, Lund.


Tentacles to 96 (6+6+12+24+48), the inner more than twice as long as the outer. Embryos developing in an annular invagination around the column in its proximal half.

Colour. Column in general deep brown, sometimes greenish blue or yellow. Oral disc iridescent green, but the colour is very variable. Mouth pink or magenta with radial markings. The whole animal is iridescent (Stuckey).

Dimensions. Height and breadth l.2 cm in extended state? (Stuckey). In preserved state: 1) Height 1, breadth 0.9 cm. 2) Height 0.7, breadth 0.6 cm.

Exterior aspect. The wide pedal disc. The column is cylindrical to conical, smooth without cinclides, in certain stadia of contraction somewhat longitudinally folded. In many specimens there is a circular wall in the proximal half. The margin is distinct. The tentacles are short, fine and smooth, placed at the margin and hexamerously arranged 6 + 6 + 12 + 24 + 48 = 96, in large specimens the inner are more than twice as long as the outer. The greater part of the oral disc is devoid of tentacles. It is provided with radial furrows. The mouth is situated on a conus. The actinopharynx is well developed with longitudinal folds and provided with two rather distinct siphonoglyphes.

Anatomical description. This species is very interesting as provided with a circular brood-pouch in such a simple form as not before observed in Actilliaria). Stuckey writes: "Presumably the young of this species are retained in the body till fully formed for I found one specimen, which had twelve young ones attached to the outside of the body-wall in a regular transverse circle about one third of the height of the wall from the foot. If the young are not retained till they are considerably advanced it is difficult to see how they can become attached in this manner unless there are external brood pouches. I have seen no evidence in support of the latter view."
As we see from the description above, Stuckey has only observed one specimen the young of which had already left their brood-pouch. In fact this species has formed only a single brood-pouch consisting of a circular invagination around the column in its lower half. Already in younger individuals there are sometimes a distinct circular wall in the above named place. A longitudinal section of the column wall in this place shows that we have to do with a circular, though as yet rather shallow, invagination. The invagination contains no embryos. In a more advanced state the circular brood-pouch is considerably enlarged and reaches below the actinopharynx. In the sectioned specimen the brood-pouch contained several embryos not having developed their tentacles. As long as the embryos are small, both rims of the brood-pouch are closely pressed together, when the embryos grow they emigrate from the brood-pouch and attach themselves in the expanded outer part of the brood-pouch. In this stadium the embryos seem to stand in a circular furrow around the animal. From here they emigrate to the column wall.

It is this species which is mentioned by Dr. Mortensen in his paper "Observations on protective adaptions and habits, mainly in marine animals" as an instance of protective resemblance in an Actinian. It is stated to resemble the peculiar branches of the alga, on which it lives, to such a degree that it was very hard to distinguish. less ↑

Habitat
Usually found attached to rocks, but sometimes attached to brachiopod shells and some seaweeds. Most abundantly at or a few metres below low spring tide .

Column
Smooth uniform column without cinclides (holes that emit stinging threads); smooth and clean; low hourglass to pillar-like in form. With a broad pedal disc that sometimes exceeds the diameter of oral disc; moderately adherent. Bright uniform bright salmon pink/orange. Fully extended can be up to 48mm tall, and vary from 13 to 25mm diameter.

Oral disc
Bright salmon pink/orange and flat to concave. Mouth of moderate size and not raised.

Tentacles
Up to 192 white tentacles, moderately long, inner longer than outer, and those of inner whorl may form catch-tentacles. They are smooth and evenly tapered. The length of the inner ones is equal to radius of oral disc and about twice as long as outer ones. Catch-tentacles are rare but when present usually have slight sub-terminal swellings. The tentacles are arranged with six way radial symmetry in up to 6 whorls and cover the peripheral one-third of the disc.

Distribution
Otago. Now apparently ID'd in Wellington, so probably distributed in between if not further.

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An edited version (just the overt visual characteristics) of Habrosanthus bathamae, n. gen., n. sp. (Actiniaria: Sagartiidae) from New Zealand.

Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand : Zoology, Volume 1, Issue 6, 7 July 1961.
By Charles E. Cutress

Sagartiidae with broad adherent base. Column smooth, not divided into regions, and without cinclides. Innermost cycle of tentacles having potential to forrn catch-tentacles.

Tentacles up to 192, moderately long, inner longer than outer, and those of inner cycle having potential to form typical catch-tentacles. Colour of column, oral and pedal discs uniform bright salmon, tentacles white.

Description

General Features. Habrosanthus bathamae is a medium sized, soft-bodied actinian (Plate 1). In life, column hourglass to pillar-like in form. The anemone is most frequently found attached to rocks but is also taken on brachiopod shells and certain kinds of algae. The species occurs most abundantly at or a few feet below low spring tide level. The entoderm, in all specimens examined, lacks zooxanthellae.

Size. The two largest specimens, both well extended, have the following dimensions in centimetres: (A) length, 4.8; diameter of mid-column, 1.3; diameter of crown, 2.5; diameter of pedal disc, 2.0. (B) length, 1.5; diameter of crown, 2.5; diameter of oral disc, 1.7; diameter of pedal disc, 4.0.

Colour. Column, pedal and oral discs unmarked salmon or orange . Tentacles white. Acontia salmon. Filaments white.
Column. Not divided into regions; without cinclides; smooth and clean; low hourglass to pillar-like in form.
Pedal Disc. Broad and sometimes exceeding diameter of oral disc; moderately adherent. Ectoderm with pronounced border of intensely eosinophilic granules

Oral Disc. Flat to concave. Radial muscles of oral disc and longitudinal muscles of tentacles in the ectoderm. Tentacles arranged hexamerously in up to 6 cycles and covering peripheral one-third of disc. Mouth of moderate size and non-protuberant.

Tentacles. Up to 192 on large specimens; smooth; evenly tapered; acuminate; innermost equal to radius of oral disc in length and about twice as long as outermost; those of innermost cycle having potential to form catch-tentacles. Catch-tentacles rare, usually with slight sub-terminal swellings and containing at their tips numerous holotrichs and atrichs but no spirocysts.

Reproduction. Species dioecious. Asexual propagation by basal laceration common. less ↑

Attached beneath rocks, and curves up in a "J" shape through the sediment to bring its mouth and tentacles above the surface.

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Edited version of Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 1868-1961, Volume 41, 1908, p387-8
Art. XXXVI.—A Review of the New Zealand Actiniaria known to Science, together with a Description of Twelve New Species.
By F. G. A. Stuckey, M.A., Wellington.

Genus Paractis(Andres).

“Paractidœ with smooth body-wall, without papillæ or marginal spherules; tentacles slender, and not exceptionally numerous; nearly equal in length and strength; margin not lobed; sphincter widening somewhat abruptly in its upper part, and occupying, near the margin, nearly the entire thickness of the mesoglœa.”

Paractis ferax (sp. nov.).

Pedal-disc.—Adherent to the under-sides of stones, or to rocks, in dark places. The chief histological feature is the thick mesoglœa, which is indeed a noticeable feature of the whole animal. The fibres are wavy, and there are many lacunæ. The ectoderm is of the usual type, about half as thick as the mesoglœa. The endoderm is thin.

Column.—It is generally cylindrical in shape, but is occasionally constricted at various parts, giving the animal a vase-shaped contour. The column bears, especially in contraction, fine transverse wrinkles. Its height can be varied very considerably, but is generally equal to two or three times the diameter. The colour is milky white. In contraction the animal is drawn into a hard rounded ball of the size of a small marble. The ectoderm and endoderm are of the normal type. The mesoglœa is thick, about equal to the ectoderm, but at intervals it becomes thin, as shown in fig. 9. This feature seems to be characteristic. In other places, numerous enough for the structure to be considered characteristic, the mesoglœa forks, sending out a process which is lined on both sides by ectoderm, and which lies close to the body-wall.

Tentacles.—These are conical in form, tapering to a fine point, and reducible to thin filaments. In colour they are white, with brown markings. Each has a brown tip. They are arranged very evenly in four cycles, the inner two nearly equal. Each of these two contains 6 tentacles; the third contains 12 slightly shorter; the fourth contains 24, shorter still. The ectodermal muscles are strong, and are borne on long processes of the mesoglœa. The mesoglœa is very fibrous, and contains a large number of nuclei. There are numerous nematocysts.

Oral Disc.—The disc is white, with a slight brownish tinge. Some specimens have radiating brownish lines. There is a pair of opaque-white lines radiating from the siphonoglyphs to the edge of the disc. The mouth is somewhat depressed, and the siphonoglyphs are not prominent. The stomodæum is not readily everted. The histological characters of the disc closely resemble those of the tentacles.

Sphincter Muscle.—This is mesoglœal in character, consisting of a thickening of the mesoglœa in the upper part of the column, the thickened portion containing numerous muscle-spaces. The whole mesoglœa of the wall is muscular, producing, no doubt, the strong contraction which is so characteristic of the animal.

Mesenteries.—There are 32 to 36 pairs, 2 pairs being directives. The musculature is very strong, the muscle-banners appearing as great rounded masses, but slightly attached to the mesentery.

Gonads.—The mesenteries are all fertile, except the directives. All the animals sectioned happened to be females, and all showed remarkable fertility. Ova appeared at nearly all stages. At first they occupy a position imbedded in the mesoglœa, but as they advance in maturity they form great masses, almost filling the intermesenterial spaces. Finally they may become detached from the mesenteries and form globular masses, showing in cross - sections as rounded discs or rings. No embryos were seen.

Habits.—All my specimens were found in dark places, never more than four in one place, usually single specimens. The species seems rather uncommon.

Dimensions.— 2—18 mm. in diameter, 25—45 mm. in height.

Distribution.— Island Bay, Ohiro Bay. less ↑

Cadet Hand in 1960 described this new species that up until then had been assigned the name Metridium canum by Parry (1951,52), Ralph & Yaldwyn (1956), Batham (1956), Grimstone (1958). The original Metridium canum of Stuckey (1914) and Carlgren (1949) is a separate species.

Habitat
Usually partially buried in muddy sand, with numerous shells, pebbles present.

Column
Divided into the main column (scapus) and neck (capitulum) separated by a collar which disappears when the anemone is fully extended. The neck narrows then flares out into a lobed oral disk.
Colour light grey-green, sometimes khaki (light browny yellow). Colour fades at about mid column down to white at the base.

Oral disc
Up to six undulating lobes in large specimens.
Colour about the same grey-green as the capitulum. White or cream coloured lips, heavily ribbed, usually rises slightly above the oral disk.

Tentacles
Inner most slightly longer than outer, up to 2.5cm long. Numerous, fine, forming a frilly crown.
Colour about the same as the neck (grey-green), with no markings. Translucent when extended.

Distribution

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Edited version of Tuatara: Volume 6, Issue 2, December 1956
Seafloor Animals from the Region of Portobello Marine Biological Station, Otago Harbour
By Patricia M. Ralph and J. C. Yaldwyn

Metridium canum (Stucky). The plumose anemone. Up to 15cm with a well developed adherent base but often so deeply buried in sand or mud that it does not appear to be attached. Column soft and thin-walled and colour merges from a dull grey-green at the mouth end to almost white at the base. Disc same colour as upper part of column. Tentacles very numerous and tapering to a point so that the animal appears to have a ‘ruff’ about the mouth. The animals prefer a dim light and only about 2 to 3cm appear above the surface of the mud, and when covered with water the extended disc and tentacles appear almost flush with the surface. When exposed and contracted at low tide they appear as conical humps. Rare.

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edited version of Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand : Zoology, Volume 1, Issue 4, 15 July 1961
Two New Acontiate New Zealand Sea Anemones
By Cadet Hand

Description (see PI. 1 and Fig. 1).

Base. Generally circular in outline, adherent and with well developed basilar muscles present. When the anemone is well elongated the base may be twice, or even more than twice, the diameter of the scapus (see PI. 1, E). The base is used in active burrowing when this species is freed upon a sandy or muddy substrate, and the anemone sometimes actively creeps about on its base in aquaria. The colour of the base in freshly collected specimens is a creamy white, apparently due to a lack both of intrinsic pigment and of symbiotic algal cells. In expanded individuals the base becomes transparent.

Column. Divisible into a scapus and capitulum which are separated by a collar (see PI. 1, G). In expansion the collar disappears and the column becomes very elongate (see PI. 1, D, which is the same anemone as PI. 1, G). In attached animals the scapus is nearly the same diameter throughout except near the base, where it flares towards the limbus. In extreme extension the scapus becomes nearly transparent and its diameter may be only about one-sixth of its length; commonly it tapers gently from the flared base to the collar or collar region. Above the collar the capitulum narrows and then expands again to meet the lobed and widely spread tentaculate margin of the oral disc. The capitulum is slightly thinner and is more transparent than the scapus. In full extension the capitulum is only about one quarter or one-fifth the length of the scapus. The minimal diameter of the capitulum may be less than one half that of the scapus, or in other poses the diameter of both may be nearly the same. In freshly collected specimens the colour of the capitulum and upper half of the scapus is a light grey-green, sometimes khaki, resulting from the presence of symbiotic algae in the endoderm. This colour fades gradually at about the mid-scapus to the white of the base. Specimens kept for months in daylight illuminated aquaria gradually become nearly the same grey-green throughout due apparently to a spread of algae to the more basal tissues. The difference in coloration of the upper and lower parts of a freshly collected specimen is indicated in Plate IE. In the field only the upper third or half of the scapus extends above the sand or mud in which the anemone dwells, and it is only in this upper, more illuminated, part that the algae seem to thrive (PI. 1, A). The scapus and proximal capitulum show 48 lines throughout their length which correspond with the 48 mesenteries present in these regions. The upper capitulum shows many more lines, up to and probably more than 384, corresponding to the many additional mesenteries present at the margin. Cinclides are present throughout the scapus, occurring most abundantly in the endocoels, of the upper half of the scapus. The cinclides are perforate and in longitudinal sections of the column can be seen to occur as breaks in the mesogloea with both the ectoderm and endoderm becoming thinner and tapering to the actual pore. In life the cinclides of an expanded specimen can be seen as' sometimes opaque but usually transparent minute specks. Acontia are ' readily emitted, through the cinclides. The cinclides are not arranged in rings, and, being relatively scarce in the exocoels, give the impression of being in longitudinal rows.

Cinclides do not occur in the capitulum.

Oral Disc. Wider than the column when expanded and folded into about six undulating lobes in large specimens (PI. 1, B). There is little tentacle-free area around the mouth. In the tentacle-free area numerous pairs of lines representing the mesenterial insertions show through the rather transparent tissues. Colour of the disc about the same grey-green as the capitulum and upper scapus. The white or cream coloured lips of the actinopharynx are heavily ribbed and the two siphonoglyphs can usually be seen. The number of ribs on the lips vary, there being about 24 in small specimens to about 48 in large ones. The lips usually are raised slightly above the level of the disc.

Tentacles. Regularly hexamerous in arrangement, with five to seven or eight cycles present. As far as can be determined the number of tentacles corresponds exactly to the number of mesenteries. A medium sized specimen (10 cm long by 3 cm diameter) had 384 mesenteries at the margin and apparently the same number of tentacles. Larger specimens appear to have more mesenteries and correspondingly more tentacles. The inner tentacles are longer than the younger, outermost ones, although most tentacles are of about the same length. On a large anemone an individual tentacle may be as much as 2.5 cm long, and all tentacles are gently tapered throughout their length. The tentacles are translucent when extended and of about the same colour as the capitulum and upper scapus. No special pigments, bands, bars or other markings occur on the tentacles. The very numerous fine tentacles and the lobed disc give the crown a rather frilly appearance (PI. 1, B-E). As individual tentacles contract they sometimes appear to show a darker central area surrounded by a translucent outer layer. This appearance seems to result from the symbiotic algae present in the tentacular endoderm.

Size. The sizes of some small to medium specimens are indicated in Plate 1, which is reproduced at life-size. In the field small specimens whose length is barely 2 cm have been encountered as have very large specimens capable of expanding to at least 30 cm long. One large specimen in the preserved condition had the following measurements: 13 cm tall, 7 cm diameter base, 8 cm diameter mid-column, 9 cm diameter crown, 4.5 cm diameter at collar.

Localities and Habitat. This species is locally abundant near the Portobello Marine Biological Station in Otago Harbour. There is a large colony living in the shade of a beached hulk on Quarantine Island (also known as St. Martin’s Island) and individuals can be seen beneath the wharves at Port Chalmers. Other specimens have been collected at Weller’s Rocks and isolated individuals have been seen, or collected from various other localities. Within the intertidal zone the species is quite rare except in shaded situations such as under wharves or alongside the hulk mentioned above, although occasional isolated individuals may be seen in completely unshaded positions. This anemone occurs from about the level of the low water of neap tides well into the subtidal. The most numerous population noted to date occurs between about the low water level of neap tides down to that of spring tides in the shade of the old hulk on Quarantine Island. The substrate in which the species lives is usually a muddy sand with rather numerous bivalve shells, pebbles and small stones present. It is to these latter items that the anemones attach, although occasional individuals, especially the smaller ones, seem not to be attached. In their natural habitat they usually live partially buried in the substrate, although some individuals, particularly smallish ones, may be found hanging from the underside of the old hulk. The base of the anemone may be attached from a few to 15 cm or more beneath the surface, depending upon the size of the individual, and only the upper third or half of the animal is to be seen above the surface of the substrate.

Type Locality. Otago Harbour, N.Z. less ↑

Metridium canum is a species from the Kermadec Islands described by Stuckey (1914) and noted by Carlgren (1949). This name was applied to a species found around the coast of mainland New Zealand (Parry (1951,52), Ralph & Yaldwyn (1956), Batham (1956), Grimstone (1958)) until Cadet Hand (1960) described that one as a separate species (and genus) Mimetridium cryptum.

Habitat
Occurs near the low water mark on the under-side of stones, tolerates a muddy or sandy bottom.

Column
Grayish cylindrical column which is narrower than the adherent pedal disc . There are cinclides on the upper part of the column. The column is longitudinally wrinkled when contracted. 10mm diameter, and 9mm high when contracted. Disc 15mm diameter.

Oral disc

Tentacles
About 200 tentacles crowded and arranged in 4 to 5 whorls; may have black tips.

Distribution
Kermadec Islands.

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Edited version of Description of a Collection of Actinians from the Kermadec Islands, Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Art. XXIII
by F. G. A. Stuckey, M.A., Wellington (1913)

Metridium canum n. sp.

The collector's description is: "Greyish. Abundant on the under-side of stones near low-water mark, Coral Bay, Sunday Island. This species…tolerates a muddy or sandy bottom."

Pedal Disc. - Adherent, rather wider than the column.

Column. - Cylindrical. Longitudinally wrinkled in contraction. Cinclides are present on the upper part of the column.

Tentacles. - About 200 in number, crowded and arranged in four, or perhaps five, cycles. In some of the preserved specimens the tentacles have black tips.

Body-wall. - The usual hexactinian features are observable. The mesogloea is comparatively thick, though variable in different portions of transverse sections. It appears fibrillar in structure, and contains numerous collections of cells.

Sphincter: - A weak mesogloeal sphincter is present.

Mesenteries.- There are four cycles, 45 pairs in all. Of these, only the primaries, 6 pairs in number, are perfect.

Dimensions (of largest specimen, contracted).- Height, 9 mm.; diameter of column, 10 mm.; diameter of disc, 15 mm. less ↑