Where
The jewel anemone — Corynactis australis Haddon & Duerden, 1896 is a low to sub-tidal anemone, found throughout New Zealand and southern Australia in shaded, clean water habitats, and often under rocks.
Identifying features
A small anemone (~15 mm across, but often smaller) and have a round ball at the tip of their tentacles (no other New Zealand anemones have this). Can be a brilliant range of near-fluorescent colours.
Similar to
Not really similar to any other anemone species. Similar habitat to striped anemone and white-striped anemone, but jewel anemones look nothing like those two species. They appear to like shady areas with lots of clean water flow.
Ecology
Jewel anemones are not strictly anemones, but belong to the Order Corallimorpharia (coral anemones). They can multiply by fission, so you can often get large mats of them. They appear to like shady habitats and are essentially corals without a calcareous skeleton. However, they do leave a calcareous base under each anemone, which is left behind after the anemone dies.
Under rocks on the Maori Warrior Rock, Mt. Maunganui.
Under rocks on the Maori Warrior Rock, Mt. Maunganui.
Under rocks on the Maori Warrior Rock, Mt. Maunganui. Showing some of the wide variations in colour.
Under rocks on the Maori Warrior Rock, Mt. Maunganui. The elongated anemone centre-left is in the process of dividing by fission.
Under rocks on the Maori Warrior Rock, Mt. Maunganui.
Under rocks on the Maori Warrior Rock, Mt. Maunganui. Showing colour forms.
Under rocks on the Maori Warrior Rock, Mt. Maunganui.
Intertidal sea anemones (Actinaria) 
One thought on “Jewel anemone — Corynactis australis”