Stylobates: A Shell-Forming Sea Anemone (Coelenterata, Anthozoa, Actiniidae)

Abstract

Anatomy and cnidae distinguish two species of deep-sea actinians that produce coiled, chitinous shells inhabited by hermit crabs of the genus Parapagurus. The actinian type species, Stylobates aeneus, first assigned to the Mollusca, occurs around Hawaii and Guam with P. dofleini. Stylobates cancrisocia, originally described as Isadamsia cancrisocia, occurs off east Africa with P. trispinosus.