Zoological Studies
Info
Is Macrodactyla fautinae now three species of the genus Macrodactyla are known:
Heteractis doreensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833).
Macrodactyla aspera (Haddon and Shackleton, 1893)
Macrodactyla fautinae Yap, Mitchell, Quek & Huang, 2023
Macrodactyla fautinae was first described from Singapore in 2023 and named in honor of the late Professor Emeritus Daphne Gail Fautin (25 May 1946 - 12 March 2021).
Throughout her career, she worked tirelessly to advance knowledge of sea anemones and spent much time in Singapore,
studying our sea anemones and training scientists and volunteers here.
.
This sea anemone has only been observed in the only along the northern coast of Singapore, in the Strait of Johor.
Brief Description:
Diameter with tentacles extended 6 - 10 cm.
A ring of many thick, tapered, smooth tentacles with a striped pattern reminiscent of tiger stripes.
Color: Mostly brown, beige, sometimes with a hint of orange or purple.
There are usually two bright maroon, red or orange spots near the mouth and sometimes a ring of several white spots around the mouth. The pale body column has rows of red-tipped cusps.
These are perforated, lobe-like warts from which water spurts out like a watering can when the anemone contracts its body. With its tentacles wedged into its round body, the anemone looks like a bizarre strawberry - hence it is sometimes called a strawberry anemone.
It has been observed on several occasions that the anemone has partially swallowed a large sea pen!
Often the anemone can be seen sticking a large portion of its "throat" out of its body, sometimes to the point that its tentacles are covered, making it look like a blob or jellyfish.
Dr. Nicholas Yap suggests that this behavior may allow her to catch large prey!
Heteractis doreensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833).
Macrodactyla aspera (Haddon and Shackleton, 1893)
Macrodactyla fautinae Yap, Mitchell, Quek & Huang, 2023
Macrodactyla fautinae was first described from Singapore in 2023 and named in honor of the late Professor Emeritus Daphne Gail Fautin (25 May 1946 - 12 March 2021).
Throughout her career, she worked tirelessly to advance knowledge of sea anemones and spent much time in Singapore,
studying our sea anemones and training scientists and volunteers here.
.
This sea anemone has only been observed in the only along the northern coast of Singapore, in the Strait of Johor.
Brief Description:
Diameter with tentacles extended 6 - 10 cm.
A ring of many thick, tapered, smooth tentacles with a striped pattern reminiscent of tiger stripes.
Color: Mostly brown, beige, sometimes with a hint of orange or purple.
There are usually two bright maroon, red or orange spots near the mouth and sometimes a ring of several white spots around the mouth. The pale body column has rows of red-tipped cusps.
These are perforated, lobe-like warts from which water spurts out like a watering can when the anemone contracts its body. With its tentacles wedged into its round body, the anemone looks like a bizarre strawberry - hence it is sometimes called a strawberry anemone.
It has been observed on several occasions that the anemone has partially swallowed a large sea pen!
Often the anemone can be seen sticking a large portion of its "throat" out of its body, sometimes to the point that its tentacles are covered, making it look like a blob or jellyfish.
Dr. Nicholas Yap suggests that this behavior may allow her to catch large prey!
