Anemones
Name
Anemones (Actiniaria)
Alias
Flowers of the Sea
Size
Anemones can measure from 1cm to 2m in diameter.
Anemones Identification
Anemones have hollow, cylindrical bodies. Their mouths are surrounded by tentacles which have stinging cells. They fix themselves to the substrate with a flat adhesive pedal disc. Anemones vary in colour from brown to pink, yellow, purple, orange, green and red.
Anemones General Info
Anemones belong to the Actiniaria order which consists of 44 families and more than 1000 species. Some anemone species live in tubes or burrow into the sand. They stun their prey with their tentacles which have nematocysts. They are closely related to corals and jellyfish and are pelagic spawners.
Anemones Feeding
Anemones feed on plankton and small fish.
Distribution
They can be found in all temperate and tropical oceans of the world.
Common Species
Giant anemone - Heteractis magnifica
Sandy anemone - Aulactinia reynaudi
Tiger anemone - Nematanthus annamensis.
©
Johan Boshoff
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