CNIDARIA : CERIANTHARIA : CerianthidaeSEA ANEMONES AND HYDROIDS

Cerianthus lloydii Gosse, 1859


Cerianthus lloydii

Description: Cerianthids are anemone-like anthozoans, living in a long, felt-like tube which is buried in sand or mud. Tentacles are expanded above substrate and occur in two series: short labial tentacles around the mouth, and long marginal tentacles at edge of disc. The column is elongate, and is free to move within the tube. The tentacles are usually brown, but may be white or green. The marginal tentacles are often banded. Span of tentacles up to 70mm.

Habitat: Burrows in sand or mud, sometimes in gravel. When disturbed it may contract very quickly into its tube, the opening of which remains protruding above the substrate. Occurs on the shore in some areas but is more common in the sublittoral, down to 100m or more.

Distribution: Locally abundant on all coasts of the British Isles and north western Europe, south to Biscay.

Similar Species: Might be confused with Pachycerianthus multiplicatus which is much larger, with up to 200 marginal tentacles. The occurrence of two series of tentacles distinguishes this group from burrowing sea-anemones.

Key Identification Features:

Distribution Map: NBN map : National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

WoRMS: Species record : World Register of Marine Species.

iNaturalist: Species account : iNaturalist World Species Observations database



 Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2016). Cerianthus lloydii Gosse, 1859. [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D10750 Accessed on 2024-12-02

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