Other Cnidarians

There are places in Fiordland, just below the low salinity layer, where sea anemones thrive in untold thousands. We know of at least one place where there is an area of around 50m x 5m packed solid with these beautiful colonial animals.

Detail of dense cluster of sea anemones

Tube anemones Cerianthus sp. are common wherever there is sand

Detail of Cerianthus central disc

This dead black coral skeleton has provided a perfect substrate for sponges, a soft coral colony and a variety of other encrusting animals

Soft corals are common in Fiordland (40.91K)

This superb burrowing anemone is quite common on sandy shelves in Fiordland. (66.85K)

Seapens like this Sarcophyllum sp. are found at divable depths in Fiordland. This specimen was photographed at the Gut in Doubtful Sound (a Marine Reserve). If disturbed they flash with green bioluminescence. (71.75K)

Red coral can grow to large sizes if left undisturbed. This colony is well over a metre high. (70.81K)

Contents

Top of page

Last modified on Tuesday, April 19, 2005