species: Dofleinia armata in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)

Lizard Island area: all known taxa > Animalia > Cnidaria > Anthozoa > Hexacorallia > Actiniaria > Actiniidae > Dofleinia > Dofleinia armata (gallery)

Dofleinia armata

©Anne Hoggett: Dofleinia armata, about 25 cm overall diameter, at bommies on NE side of Watson's Bay, Lizard Island.

©Anne Hoggett: Dofleinia armata, oral disc about 4 cm diameter, at bommies on NE side of Watson's Bay, Lizard Island.

©Anne Hoggett: Dofleinia armata, about 25 cm overall diameter, at bommies on NE side of Watson's Bay, Lizard Island.

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Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Cnidaria

Class Hexacorallia

Order Actiniaria

Family Actiniidae

Genus Dofleinia

Species Dofleinia armata

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Lizard Island area: all known taxa

Lizard Island Field Guide

Colours

Distinguishing features

A moderately-sized sand-dwelling anemone with stout, tapering, unbranched tentacles covered with small bumps. Colour varies widely, from very pale to very dark. Based on just three observations so far, dark individuals are larger and out in he open and pale ones are smaller and either in crevices or nocturnal.

Dr Andrea Crowther (SA Museum) advises that these anemones can give a nasty sting. The small bumps on the tentacles are full of nematocycsts.

Only a single species is currently accepted in the genus (WoRMS accessed 31 Aug 2019).