Phylum: CnidariaTaxonomist: Dr Agustín GareseA decade in the making, this discovery represents only the third known species within the rare genus Harenactis. Originally collected in 2010 from the remote San Julián Peninsula in Argentina, the specimen has been the subject of long-term study by taxonomist Agustín Garese. Morphologically distinct from its relatives, this elusive anemone lives a solitary existence, found buried in fine sediment within the wide crevices of the intertidal zone at depths between 0.5 and 4 metres. Its inclusion in the Ocean Census highlights the value of revisited research; the team is now planning a return to this difficult-to-access site to secure new material for the molecular studies necessary to fully define this unique burrowing cnidarian.Credit: The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census/Agustín Garese
Phylum: CnidariaTaxonomist: Dr Agustín GareseA decade in the making, this discovery represents only the third known species within the rare genus Harenactis. Originally collected in 2010 from the remote San Julián Peninsula in Argentina, the specimen has been the subject of long-term study by taxonomist Agustín Garese. Morphologically distinct from its relatives, this elusive anemone lives a solitary existence, found buried in fine sediment within the wide crevices of the intertidal zone at depths between 0.5 and 4 metres. Its inclusion in the Ocean Census highlights the value of revisited research; the team is now planning a return to this difficult-to-access site to secure new material for the molecular studies necessary to fully define this unique burrowing cnidarian.Credit: The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census/Agustín Garese