Burying anemone off Cathedral Rocks?

[oceancurrent]

Here is a mystery for you folks to solve...

Last August, I found a strange creature (perhaps an anemone) buried in the sand off Cathedral Rocks (at around 20 m depth). The thing had only its tentacles sticking out of the sand:

After I "dusted" off the sand, the thing looked like this:

So far all the folks, who have seen this pictures, were not able to ID the thing. So, does anyone here know what this is?

By the way, if you guys want to see some more New England photos by yours sincerely, the link is:
http://www.n2scuba.com/nephoto/. Let me know if you think these are any good.

 

[Trianii]

By the way, if you guys want to see some more New England photos by yours sincerely, the link is:
http://www.n2scuba.com/nephoto/. Let me know if you think these are any good.

I think they're fantastic! What kind of equipment are you using????

 

[Tampico_ED]

Hi There,

Your pictures are very impressive. Remember me? I just moved to Attleboro, MA. Would yopu be interested on a photo dive? ED

 

[dbg40]

Ed,, im fairly sure that what you have there is an ALIEN! Better leave it alone, or it may take you onto the ship and probe you or something!!

 

[oceancurrent]

Yeah, I am sure it's an alien.

I use an Olympus C-5050 in a PT-015 housing, Sea&Sea YS-90 strobe, and Inon Wide Angle lens. I have been using it for almost 4 years now. A nice budget setup - nothing too fancy.

Ed, sure, I'd love to go on a photo dive. However, I won't be going out until May or so this season. So, let's keep in touch about it, ok?

So, the mystery is still unsolved... Does anyone else have any theories?

 

[MSilvia]

So, the mystery is still unsolved... Does anyone else have any theories?

The tentacles look cnidarian... I didn't notice it at first, but is that a mouth among the tentacles on the right?

 

[deepblueme]

Are you sure it is alive?

It looks like one of those strechy hat things you get for your kids.

 

[Teamcasa]

Car wash mit?

Dave

 

[RIOceanographer]

I don't know either, and I can't find anything close in any of my usual references. I'll try passing it on to some of my colleagues and see if any of them know what it is. A few of them specialize in benthic inverts.

But until then, I'll go with Dave's alien ID.

 

[dbg40]

Oh yeah,, that was my second choice too, that benthic,,,what he said........thingie.