Protanthea simplex

James Lynott Is this Sagartiogeton laceratus? Photographed yesterday in Loch Creran at about 20m.

Sarah Bowen In a sea-loch setting, it's much more likely to be Protanthea simplex, the sea-loch anemone. Perfect location for it.

James Lynott Thanks for your comment. There are P. simplex here as well but I am wondering about the anemone with the long column in the centre of the image.

Sarah Bowen Ah, silly me! I thought it was a worm tube at a brief glance....Sorry!

Ron Ates It would indeed be nice to see pictures showing the disc. Sagartiogeton laceratus very rarely shows an elongated column like this and it has a reputation

Ron Ates Sorry. to occur in aggregated groups.

James Lynott Thanks everyone for input. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the disc as it was hanging from a vertical rock face at an awkward angle. I did wonder if the column was too long for S. laceratus and this was the only one present. If not S. laceratus then any suggestions to what it may be?

Ron Ates Probably there is some detritus lying on the column? For what it's worth S. undatus would also be my best guess. Wild guess though, because I do not see stripes on the column and the tentacles are hardly visible. By the way, specimens of S. laceratus have been seen a couple of years ago in the very shallow part near the loch head in Loch Creran. Lucky you, you can go there again.

James Lynott Thanks, I hopefully be back there soon so will keep a look out and try and get some better pictures.

Erling Svensen I have a feeling that the S. laceratus have stripes along the column. I would have gone for S. undatus.

Andy Horton http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterandphyll/8562127353/in/pool-81599071@N00/ Do we know what species this is? (Not my picture.)

Sarah Bowen As per caption - sea loch anemone - it's Protanthea simplex.

Andy Horton I had just forgotten. Not seen off Sussex?

Bernard Picton Scottish sea lochs and Norway, not known from the UK at all until the 1980's when Gordon Ridley (BSAC) and others began to see it. It is quite common in a lot of the sea lochs and occasional in the Sound of Mull, so it's amazing that it wasn't found before SCUBA and underwater photography.