About Bunodosoma capense (Lesson, 1830)
This sea anemone species, commonly called the knobbly anemone, has the scientific name Bunodosoma capense (Lesson, 1830). It is a medium-sized anemone that can reach up to 10 centimeters in diameter. Its coloration is variable: individuals may be maroon, orange, purple, or even have a variegated pattern. The column of this anemone has non-adhesive knobs, and both these knobs and the anemone's tentacles sometimes contrast in color with the main body. It has small, round protrusions called spherules located at the base of its tentacles. This species is distributed along the southern African coast, ranging from Luderitz to Durban. It lives in waters from the intertidal zone down to 19 meters deep. Ecologically, the knobbly anemone most commonly occurs on rocky ledges. No sand ever sticks to its column, and it is frequently found attached to mussels or to Pyura stolonifera, a tunicate known as red bait.
