Identification help

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chilly - 07 Jun 2005 18:45 GMT

I recently saw an ocean creature that I'm not able to identify. I'll do my
best to describe it here.

I ran across two of them on the same dive, each were tucked tightly into
little holes in coral heads. I first noticed them because they had some
white tentacle type thingies (for lack of a more technical term) waving
about a bit and that caught my eye. When I looked into the first hole, I
noticed what appeared to be a long red body (or tongue) in between two sets
of the tentacle thingies. The tentacles on either side, I found to be
reminiscent of a clam shape and were on a singular ridge on either side.
The long red body or tongue did appear to be stretching out. The tentacles
did not change their original position that I noticed.

The second sighting, the body was more orange but the tentacles very
similar.

I suppose it could have been some kind of anemone.

Anyone able to help given this inadequate description?

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Rudy Benner - 07 Jun 2005 21:32 GMT

>I recently saw an ocean creature that I'm not able to identify. I'll do my
> best to describe it here.
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Anyone able to help given this inadequate description?

Fileclam?

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chilly - 07 Jun 2005 22:34 GMT

(snip)> >

> > I suppose it could have been some kind of anemone.
> >
> > Anyone able to help given this inadequate description?
>
> Fileclam?

I also received a pm from George Cathcart with this answer. I looked up a
couple of pictures, and sure enough, I believe we have a winner.

Thanks guys!!

Now if only you could help id the eel. It wasn't a sharptail, it wasn't a
spotted, it wasn't a chainlink . . .

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Rudy Benner - 07 Jun 2005 23:30 GMT

Yes, but whose answer was first? I had to look it up in Paul Humann of
course.

> (snip)> >
>> > I suppose it could have been some kind of anemone.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> Now if only you could help id the eel. It wasn't a sharptail, it wasn't a
> spotted, it wasn't a chainlink . . .

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chilly - 08 Jun 2005 01:01 GMT

> Yes, but whose answer was first? I had to look it up in Paul Humann of
> course.

Sorry Rudy, George got to me first. :^)

The DM and I had looked in the Paul Humann book but couldn't find what we
were looking for.

A somewhat amusing side note. I got it in my head that perhaps it was
called a "hairy clam". Put that into a search engine and see what comes up
for ya.

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Nunya - 08 Jun 2005 01:07 GMT

> > Yes, but whose answer was first? I had to look it up in Paul Humann of
> > course.
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> called a "hairy clam". Put that into a search engine and see what comes up
> for ya.

http://images.google.com/images?q=hairy+clam&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images

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chilly - 08 Jun 2005 01:19 GMT

> > > Yes, but whose answer was first? I had to look it up in Paul Humann of
> > > course.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> http://images.google.com/images?q=hairy+clam&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images

I'm not opening that.

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Rudy Benner - 08 Jun 2005 02:31 GMT

Its on page 249 of mine.

>> Yes, but whose answer was first? I had to look it up in Paul Humann of
>> course.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> up
> for ya.

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George Cathcart - 08 Jun 2005 13:50 GMT

I got it in my head that perhaps it was

> called a "hairy clam". Put that into a search engine and see what comes up
> for ya.

That was my second guess, but I think they're much more common than the
file clam. They're rumored to be nocturnal, but a morning dive can often
reveal them at their best, and I've even come across them in the afternoon.

They can deliver a nasty sting if surprised.

gc

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scubaran - 08 Jun 2005 00:15 GMT

Hi,

Might check my website. I've taken a lot of pictures of fish and creatures
and taken a long time
researching what they are. You can find it at http://www.randallgamby.com .
BTW, I have a picture
of the file clam too. :O)

Randy

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chilly - 08 Jun 2005 01:06 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Randy

Thanks Randy. Didn't see my elusive eel but saw your file clam. Yours
doesn't look just like what I saw but I'm convinced none the less.

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