Protanthea

Protanthea simplex is a species of sea anemone found in deep water off the coasts of north west Europe. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Protanthea.

==Description== P. simplex is a delicate sea anemone. The tentacles are non-retractable and have a frosty appearance and are usually held outstretched. The column is salmon pink, flared below the tentacles and reaches lengths of up to two centimetres. It has a flattened, lightly adherent base bulging out below the pedal disc. There are up to 200 slender, translucent, white or pale pink tentacles up to one and a half centimetres long arranged in five rings. When the orangeish-pink gonads are ripe, they may be visible through the wall of the column.