Edwardsia delapiae - Marine Life Encyclopedia

Edwardsia delapiae Carlgren & Stephenson, 1928

Edwardsia delapiae

Description: The column of this burrowing sea anemone is elongated and worm-like; divided into scapus and scapulus. The scapus has a soft, adherent cuticle, and a naked rounded base. The tentacles are very long when fully expanded, 16 in number, arranged in two distinct cycles of 8. Length of column up to 80mm when fully extended, span of tentacles to 40mm. The disc is patterned with white and maroon, the tentacles are transparent, unspotted, with a white ring at the base and sometimes a little white coloration near the tip.

Habitat: Burrows in mud or sandy mud; when expanded only the disc and tentacles protrude above the substrate. Occurs in sheltered situations in shallow water.

Distribution: Only known from the vicinity of Valentia Island, SW Ireland.

Similar Species: Edwardsia claparedii, is variable in colour and may have only white markings on the disc but has spots and markings on the tentacles as well as the disc.

Key Identification Features:

Elongated, worm-like column correlated to burrowing habit.
16 long, transparent tentacles, unspotted.
Disc transparent with white and maroon curved markings.

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). Edwardsia delapiae Carlgren & Stephenson, 1928. [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=D13430 Accessed on 2025-02-10

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