Giant sea anemone

Scientific name : Stichodactyla gigantea

Notwithstanding the name is the smaller Stichodactyla, with a diameter seldom as large as 50 cm. Deeply folded oral disc, short (1 cm), sticky, always vibrating tentacles. Tentacles colour green or brown, seldom purple. The column is whitish, grey greenish, with brown or blue non adhaesive verrucae. Compared with Stichodactyla mertensii is found in different environments (shallow sand vs. reef). Compared with Stichodactyla haddoni it lives in shallower environments, it has longer tentacles, with thin tips and always vibrating, deeper and regularly spaced oral disc folds.

Associated organisms
Obligate association with zooxanthellae, also with anemone fishes like, in our area, Amphiprion ocellaris, Amphiprion clarkii, Amphiprion perideraion. Occasionally with Dascyllus trimaculatus.