Something from the sea for ID, please

[solus]

This was photographed by a friend on the roof of a neighbouring caravan at his holiday site on the north-east coast of Scotland last week.

I assume it must have been dropped by an over-flying gull. He didn't retrieve it and says it was about 2 inches in diameter (the "body" bit) with "lots" of tentacles about 5 inches long.

He's curious to know what it is - or rather was - and I'm afraid I don't have the foggiest idea! At a wild guess some sort of cuttlefish?

This is, as far as I am aware, the only photo.



Thanks for looking!

[Force Eleven]

It's got a lot of tentacles. Difficult to tell by the picture. I'd need to see the "body" more.

My tentative guess would be a sea anemone of some sort.

[solus]

Thanks for that. Now here is what is going to probably seem to you like a really stupid question.....

I have seen sea anemones in rock pools and when the tide is out they are just little blobs on the rocks: it is only when they are covered in water that the tentacles emerge.... so would a bird manage to dislodge one and carry it off while the tentacles were out, or are there species that have exposed tentacles all the time?

Sorry to be such an ignoramus but I'm more into birds (and flowers and fungi) than sea-life. I just thought that someone here might be able to clear up the mystery, knowing how good ID skills are on other parts of this site!

[NJP87]

If it is an anemone it's tentacles might be out because it's dead?

[clackdish]

looks like an anemonie could be, Bolocera tuediae, they are found up that way

[Force Eleven]

Agree with the above remarks. It has to be an anemone. Not familiar with the species distribution up there though.

Check MarLin and Glaucus if you want it ID'd to species level. It is an anemone though.

[solus]

Thanks a lot! I've "Googled" it and it certainly seems like a possibility. I apprecaite it can only ever be a "possible" but it may help to stop my friend sending texts to ask if we've ID'd it yet!

[Jim Greenfield]

"Tentacles" look too big and thick for Bolocera to me. Have blown it up on screen and although the definition is poor, I think I may be able to make out eggs. Could it therefore be squid eggs attached to something? They are pretty common inshore in the N. Sea
Jim Greenfield
www.oceaneyephoto.com

[Vincent86]

It does look like an anemone to me too and does look alike with Bolocera tuediae .

Characteristics
-Its body is very smooth and is usually pink or red colored. Its tentacles are long, stout and graceful in full expansion.