(photos of Dirk Schories, Germany: specimens from Adriatic Sea, Croatia, Europe)
This Mediterranean species, originally described as Bunodes crassus by Andres in 1884, has been transferred to Cribrinopsis by Schmidt (1972) and since that time it is widely known as Cribrinopsis crassa. However, it has several significant features distinguishing it from Cribrinopsis and cannot be placed to this genus. For more information see our paper on genera Urticina and Cribrinopsis (cited below). The real taxonomic status of this species is not clear, although it is clear that it much closer to Bunodactis sensu lato than to Cribrinopsis.
The species has characteristic short and thick tentacles. Pacific species Cribrinopsis olegi has somewhat similar tentacles, but otherwise the two species have little in common.
Recent revision of Pacific species of Cribrinopsis: SANAMYAN N.P., SANAMYAN K.E., 2006. The genera Urticina and Cribrinopsis (Anthozoa: Actiniaria) from the North-Western Pacific. Journal of Natural History, 40(7-8): 359-393.
Taxonomy:
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Anthozoa
Order Actiniaria
