Cortez Sea Anemone

Bunodosoma californicum

The Cortez Sea Anemone, scientifically known as Bunodosoma californicum, is a distinctive sea anemone found in the Gulf of California down to Panama. Divers can identify this species by its variable column color, ranging from olive green to greenish-brown or rusty red. The column, which can reach up to 40 millimeters in height, is adorned with non-adhesive vesicles that are neatly arranged in rows at the base and more randomly packed higher up. These vesicles are the same color as the column, giving the anemone a uniform appearance. The oral disc of the Cortez Sea Anemone shares the column's color and may feature light radial lines. It is surrounded by typically 80 conical tentacles arranged in three or four rings. These tentacles, slightly shorter than the width of the oral disc, may exhibit rose, purple, or orange tints and are often marked with white at their base. This anemone inhabits rocky bottoms from the intertidal zone to the subtidal areas. As a carnivore, the Cortez Sea Anemone uses its tentacles' stinging cells to paralyze prey, which it then guides into its central mouth. Reproduction occurs through broadcast spawning, with separate male and female individuals releasing eggs and sperm into the water. While some anemones can reproduce asexually through fission, it is unclear if this species has that capability.