Tuesday 20 July 2010

An Alien In A Cave Update 20/07/2010

In my post on 14/03/2010 An Alien In A Cave I took the picture below of something hanging from a cave. After much searching on the web, sending emails and putting a post on UK Sea Kayak Guidebook, I was given various suggestions ranging from seal snot to egg cases!


Forgetting about it for a while I recently received an email from the BBC Wildlife magazine saying that they were going to publish my question and picture. I eagerly bought the magazine and finally found out that it is a Plumose Anemone which when exposed at low tide are unable to keep their shape and shrink to resemble a soggy deflated balloon like my photo.

When submerged they open up like the above photo and can grow up to 300mm high attaching itself to caves , wrecks, piers etc. Thanks to Matt Doggett and the BBC Wildlife magazine, well worth a read.

Paula you were spot on with your identification.

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