multi-color sebae???

[geckoejon]

hello,

i just picked this nem up last weekend from a lfs. it was labeled as an "ultra grade h. crispa". i have a green'ish tan crispa, but it looks different then this one. i just thought this one looked too good to leave behind maybe it's common and just my first time seeing one like it??? it has settled right into one of my nem cubes, stays open, and looks healthy.

it has neon green flesh in the middle, green tentacles in the middle, tan tentacles in a ring around the edge, and blue tips. it is at least 9-10" expanded.

any thoughts?

 

[Winwood]

It looks to be H. malu. It is a relatively common trait for them to have two different types of tentacles.

 

[geckoejon]

I thought about it being a malu.

I thought malu had bands in their tentacles though. These are band free.

Thoughts?

 

[garygb]

Beautiful! I can't see I've seen a crispa colored that way. I think you are wise to have purchased it.

 

[Winwood]

I thought about it being a malu.

I thought malu had bands in their tentacles though. These are band free.

Thoughts?

That's not always the case.

 

[geckoejon]

what are the defining traits that differentiate a malu and a crispa?

 

[Winwood]

Differing types of tentacles is one of the potentially defining features of H. malu. Also a malu's foot can have an orangish/yellowish color to it. Crispas always have a firm, thick uniformly colored foot when healthy.

 

[Winwood]

Also malus are a sand dwelling anemone, where as crispas almost always attach to some form of rock work.

 

[geckoejon]

the foot on this nem is solid tan and it has tan bumps on the underside of it's pedal. it is attached to the bottom of a rock.

i have a different crispa that has been repeatedly identified as a crispa on here that is on the sand. it is against the overflow and dug into the sand.

 

[Winwood]

Here is what Fautin and Allen wrote on IDing.
http://www.nhm.ku.edu/inverts/ebooks/ch1.html
Note malu's have a tendency toward varying length tentacles, where crispas are uniform in length.

 

[garygb]

I would venture to guess it's crispa rather than malu. Though this takes time, feeding it and seeing how large it gets is an option to identifying it. Crispas tend to grow rather large, quickly. Malus stay smaller.

 

[geckoejon]

it folded a little and i snapped a couple quick pics. not the best pics, but it definitely shows a pale tan foot and underside of the pedal. thoughts???



you can see the color of the foot clearly in this pic. look at the pale tan directly under the clown.

 

[garygb]

The column looks like a crispa.

 

[Winwood]

It does look like a crispa column. That's a very strange anemone.

 

[geckoejon]

thanks for the feedback. it is kind of strange, but beautiful. i like it

any other thoughts on it?

 

[Rippinfrags]

I agree with h. Crispa. Cool anemone and thanks for sharing.

 

[jwoyshnar]

Id also say crispa. Also if I were you I would sell it........ To me! Lol. It is awesome looking

 

[ponokareefer]

I had one nearly identical to that for about 3 years. Beautiful anemone.

 

[ponokareefer]

According to liveaquaria.com, it seems that this type of anemone is an LTA.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+4&ddid=242684

I don't agree.