Skip to main content

Sea Anemone

Though they look quite plant-like, Sea Anemones are actually animals. Animals of the order Actiniaria to be exact. There are over 1,000 species, which come in various shapes and sizes, and live in every ocean on the planet. The largest and most colorful Anemones are found in coastal, tropical waters, but other species can be found in the deep oceans, and even off the frigid shores of Antarctica! Anemones are everywhere!

Deep Sea Anemone (Image Source)
All Sea Anemones are carnivores, and can range in size (depending on species) between a few millimeters and several feet! They are often radially symmetric with an adhesive foot (pedal disc) that keeps them stuck in place, though there are a handful of free floating species as well.

Sea Anemones also have a single mouth opening that is surrounded by tentacles. Their tentacles serve two purposes. The first is protection. You see, the slightest touch causes the tentacles to shoot out a neurotoxin-filled filament. This toxin paralyzes and then leads to the second purpose of the tentacles: feeding. The Anemone then uses them to push the paralyzed creature into their mouth opening. Interestingly, their mouth opening is the only orifice an Anemone has, so it also serves as the final stop in their digestive system.

Clownfish with Anemone (Image Source)
Sea Anemones reproduce in a variety of ways, dependent on the species. Some have both males and females, while other Anemones are hermaphroditic. Both sexual and asexual reproduction occur, with sexual taking place externally via the release of sperm and egg into the water. One method of asexual reproduction occurs by breaking off part of the pedal disc, which is then able to grow into new, small Anemones!

Anemones are famous for their symbiotic relationship with the ever so adorable Clownfish. Clownfish have a protective layer of mucus on their body that keeps them safe from Anemone venom. They are then able to hide safely within an Anemone's tentacles, and in return for protection, the Anemone receives bits of the Clwonfishes' meals.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Bornean Orangutan

The Bornean Orangutan is one of two extant Orangutan species in the world. It is the third largest primate (after Gorillas) and is the largest primarily tree-dwelling animal in the world. Males are substantially larger than females, and average at around 165lbs. Bornean Orangutans are largely solitary. A handful might live within a small range but they will seldom interact with one another. Males and females only meet up to breed, which happens only once every several years. A young Orangutan will stay with it's mother for about five years, and the females tend to go about eight years between births. That is the longest interim period of any animal! Sadly, the Bornean Orangutans are in a lot of trouble. They need large forests in order to thrive, and deforestation and habitat degradation has left many homeless. They are also hunted for meat and for traditional medicines. Conservation areas are being established to help these guys in the wild, and it is believed that there are a

Four!

For anyone who was counting, yesterday was our birthday-- four years! Four years filled with animals from A to Z, more than 1,100 of them! I can't thank my readers enough, it's been wonderful! And in celebration of that milestone... I'm taking a break. Hopefully not forever, but for a little bit at least. In the mean time I plan on getting a new layout out, along with some updates to some of the older articles. I'll post updates here and on the Facebook page, I'm also brainstorming some new animal-related projects, so keep an eye out! Thanks again for four awesome years!

Halloween Crab

Gecarcinus quadratus The Halloween Crab goes by many names, including the Red Land Crab, Whitespot Crab, and Moon Crab. I personally like Halloween Crab though, since it really reflects the interesting colors. They have black carapaces, orange-red legs, and purple claws! Halloween Crabs live in the Pacific coast mangroves and forests of Central and South America. They actually live in the forests as adults, and return to the ocean in order to reproduce. Did you know that they live as far away as 18 miles (30km)  from water? Not where you normally think Crabs to be! While living in the forest, the Crabs forage nocturnally for different plant matter, including leaves and sapling. They also dig long burrows into the ground for protection. These burrows can measure nearly 5 ft long! Halloween Crabs are sometimes kept in captivity, and can be very tricky pets due to their excellent climbing skills. IUCN Status :  Not Listed Location :   Cent