Juvenile sock or walking anemone
Photo by Howard Steele
Juvenile about 5 mm long
Juvenile about 5 mm long
Juvenile about 5 mm long
Juvenile about 20 mm long
Juvenile about 20 mm long
Juvenile about 20 mm long. Note the bare branches of the fan coral where the anemone ate the polyps.
Base of a juvenile of 20 mm showing the radiating lines of the base, which is identical to that in adults. This photo Helene Clarke, all others above Guido Zsilavecz.
Adult about 200 mm long. Note the base from which the animal is hanging down from. Photo Andrew Taylor
SURG member Guido Zsilavecz was initially quite baffled when he saw his first juvenile sock anemone, thinking, as did Howard, that it was a rather odd-looking nudibranch. Only after a subsequent search were larger ones found, which revealed some of the distinguishing features of a sock anemone. These anemones feed on soft corals, and as the corals are stationary, move from branch to branch to get to new food.
For more information on the sock or walking anemone, see "A field guide to the Marine Animals of the Cape Peninsula", now available from SURG or better Cape Town dive shops.
A field guide to the Marine Animals of the Cape Peninsula, G Jones, 2009.
Two Oceans, A guide to the marine life of Southern Africa, GM Branch, CL Griffiths, ML Branch and LE Beckley, 1994.