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Description:
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Original description As Actinia magnifica, from specimens collected at Vanikoro, Santa Cruz Islands, New Hebrides
Diagnostic field characters Typically occupies fully exposed, prominent position, attached to solid object such as coral boulder. Cylindrical column of uniform bright colour (commonly blue, green, red, white, chestnut brown). Oral disc to 1 m diameter (although commonly 300-500 mm), flat to gently undulating, densely covered with finger-like tentacles (to 75 mm long) that hardly taper to blunt or slightly swollen end. May irritate human skin and raise welts.
Details Lower portion of tentacles same colour as oral disc (usually shade of brown), terminal portion yellow, green, or white; some tentacles bifurcate or with side branch. Tentacles approach mouth to within 20-30 mm; central oral disc yellow, brown, or green, often raised so that mouth sits on a cone. Column with longitudinal rows of translucent verrucae same colour as column or slightly lighter or darker. Animal capable of almost complete contraction so that only a tuft of tentacles is visible in center.
In western Indonesia, several small individuals of identical colouration may cluster together, resembling one large animal. Elsewhere (e.g. Maldives, Malaysia, French Polynesia), tens or hundreds of identically coloured individuals form extensive beds; presumably they constitute a clone.
Similar species This is probably the most distinctive and most commonly photographed species of host actinian. Its exposed habitat is unique, as is its brightly coloured, gently flared column. Only Stichodactyla mertensii may exceed it in diameter, but H. magnifica is a much more substantial animal. Its blunt tentacles are unique in the genus; those of S. haddoni are similarly shaped but shorter and more densely arrayed.
Distribution French Polynesia to East Africa, and Australia to the Ryukyu Islands
Fish A. akallopisos, A. akindynos, A. bicinctus, A. chrysogaster, A. chrysopterus, A. clarkii, A. leucokranos, A. melanopus, A. nigripes, A. ocellaris, A. percula, A. perideraion
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Keywords:
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Magnificent Sea Anemone-Ritteri
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