Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
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Family Actinodendronidae

Actinostephanus haeckeli

Kwietniewski, 1897

Sea Snake Anemone

Not Reef Tank Suitable

Not Suitable for Fish-Only Tank

Range: Western Pacific Ocean

Size: 8 inches (20 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits sandy bottoms in lagoons and bays and has 12 or more, bumpy tentacles showing that resemble a sea star or brittle star with its small body hidden in the sand. Buried during day and active at night.

Aquarium Suitability: Has about 12 long fat cylindrical tentacles that taper at the tips. Below these, are another ring of much shorter, slimmer tentacles. Its tentacles are studded with bumps. Most of these odd looking anemones are a uniform dark brown to black, while some may be paler with greenish tints, and have fine radiating lines on the oral disk. Body column is short, smooth, with regular stripes, and quite pale at the base. Not collected for the trade.

Taxonomy:

    Kingdom: Animalia

    Phylum: Cnidaria

    Class: Anthozoa

    Order: Actiniaria

    Family: Actinodendridae

    Genus: Actinostephanus

FYI: Shown here only for identification.

Only species in this family.

Temperature range of 72 to 82°F (22 - 27°C).

 Actinostephanus haeckeli (Sea Snake Anemone)
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