Help! Mystery creature. Puerto Rico

Our take

A mysterious creature has been discovered within submerged live rock from Puerto Rico, which had been out of water and exposed to freezing temperatures for a month. After being placed in a sterile saltwater aquarium, it appeared normal initially. However, a month later, a creature resembling a conch snail's proboscis was observed extending from the rock. When disturbed, it retracted and resembled a closed zoanthid. Observations also revealed a fleshy tube extending deep into the rock, with a small white siphon visible through a pinhole.

Submerged live rock from Puerto Rico. Was out of water for month, exposed to freezing temps. After placing in otherwise sterile Saltwater aquarium, all was normal, now one more month has passed, and there is some creature alive inside the liverock with what looks like a proboscosis similar to that of a conch snail, sticking out of the rock moving.

When I poked it, it sucked back in as much as it could and now looks like a closed zoanthid. However if I shine the light inside the rock I can see the flesh tube goes almost an inch into the rock also looks like there is a small white hole or siphon in the tube or body it connects to but can only see it through a pinhole in the rock. I don’t see any shell, or how a shelled creature could fit inside the rock.

What is this thing? Some type of clam, ribbon worm? Snail? Help!

submitted by /u/Suprem3NE
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Tagged with

#Puerto Rico#live rock#creature#proboscis#saltwater aquarium#zoanthid#mystery creature#conch snail#siphon#creature identification#flesh tube#clam#ribbon worm#tube body#shell#freezing temps#aquatic ecosystem#marine biology#invertebrates#marine life