Colonial anemone

Scientific name : Parazoanthus sp. 2

Small colonial anemone, polips are connected by living tissue. Polyps less than 1 cm high, pale yellow colour. It grows over a sponge.
There are still many undescribed Zoantidea species. In our area we see 4 specie (Parazoanthus cf. gracilis, Parazoanthus cf. gracilis sp. 1, Zoanthus sp.), identified by the colour and by the chosen host.

Associated organisms
It settles and grow on the sponge Stylissa flabelliformis. Many Zoantidea grow in association with sponges Axinella sp. (this species closely resembles the Mediterranean and Caribic species Parazoanthus axinellae, living in association with the sponge genus Axinella). The sponge gives a support and useful water currents for filtration, the Zoantidea makes the sponge unpalatable.