Mushroom-like creature in shallow water?

[tarponchik]

Hi folks,
While playing with my grand daughter in 2 ft of water at Jekyll Island beach we found many sand dollars, hermit crabs etc. But we also found several creatures I could not ID using Google. It looks like a small (1") sand dollar but has a long (4-5") soft purple stem that ends with a smooth droplet shaped bulge. What are these? Sorry, did not have my camera with me.

 

[CuzzA]

That's incredibly hard to answer. I assume they were soft? Perhaps a search for the terms mushroom coral, ricordia, zoanthid, palythoa will get you started in the right direction.

If it was the latter two, you should know they are deadly toxic. 2nd deadliest toxin known to man. I don't know if they are found that far north.

 

[tarponchik]

Yes, they were soft. But if they were as toxic as you described, I am sure the beach would be sealed off with barbed wire.

There were many of them so I hope these things are common and well known.

 

[agilis]

Possibly a Gorgonian, which are often purple. Many different species, a few semi-soft.

 

[tarponchik]

Possibly a Gorgonian, which are often purple. Many different species, a few semi-soft.

Thanks! Tried that, and it did not help in googling.

 

[Dan]

Corallimorpharia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ?

Perhaps they are Florida Corallimorph as shown here? Florida Corallimorph - Ricordea florida - Corallimorphs - - Caribbean Reefs

 

[Dan]

Tube-dwelling anemone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ?

 

[agilis]

Salp?

 

[tarponchik]

Nothing even close to your suggestions, folks.

Let me try again. The main body of the creature is grey and kinda rigid with the top a bit textured, like the sand dollar's. The stem is smooth, long and flexible, greyish-purple, with a purple droplet shaped bulge at the end. It is likely that the stem was borrowed in the sand, but I am not sure. The waters at Jekyll are no more transparent than Latte.

 

[Dan]

Like this, below (in shape, not in color)?