Palythoa vestitus

Super Group: 
Eukaryota
Phylum: 
Cnidaria
Class: 
Anthozoa
Order: 
Zoantharia
Family: 
Sphenopidae
Genus: 
Palythoa
Species: 
vestitus
Authority: 
Verrill

Diagnosis

Diagnosis : Polyp cylindrical when expanded, club-shaped when contracted ; with thick lamellar coenenchyme ; heavily encrusted ; in intertidal zone, height of living, expanded specimens to 9 mm, diameter to 5 mm; in subtidal zone, height to 14 mm diameter to 8 mm; in surge pools, height to 26 mm, diameter to 11 mm; capitular ridges to 30 in number; mesenteries and tentacles to 60; tentacles short; epidermal canals in mesoglea ; gastrodermal canals absent ; sphincter moderately developed with largest cavities located distally; to nine canals at basal half of macrocnemes; colour of oral disk green or brown. 
External aspects : Polyps cylindrical when expanded, club-shaped when contracted ; epidermis heavily encrusted with basaltic or calcareous sand ; height of relaxed polyps to 26 mm; diameter to 11 mm; capitular ridges to 30 in number; tentacles to 60 in number; colour of oral disk green or brown.
Sphincter :Mesogleal sphincter moderately developed, with largest cavities located distally .