Tube anemone (cerianthus membranaceus)
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Common name Tube anemone
Scientific name Cerianthus membranaceus
Class Anthozoa
Order Ceriantari
Family Ceriantharia
Distribution The Mediterranean and the north-west Atlantic to the French Brittany coast.
Habitat mobile substrates amid meadows of Posidonia oceanica, at the entrance to underwater caves or at the base of rocks from a few metres beneath the surface up to depths of 35 - 40 m.
Dimensions The body up to 35-40 cm in length. The crown of tentacles up to a diameter of 40 cm
Characteristicts The body is contained inside a membranous tube and the external tentacles are longer than those closer to the centre.

Description
The tube anemone has a long worm-like body protected by a membranous tube that rests in the sediment on the sea bed. The open end of the tube has two whorls of tentacles (totalling more than 200) subdivided between labial and feeding tentacles which are often different colours. The external, labial tentacles are over 20cm long while the inner, feeding tentacles, are much shorter. Colours vary between violet and fuchsia, allowing the two varieties to be distinguished.

Biology
This species lives inside a long tube ( up to approx. 1m.) The tube is actually produced by the animal itself by secreting mucus which solidifies when it comes into contact with the water. The tube anemone feeds on plankton and small marine life and reproduces between January and July.