Sea
anemones are a group of water-dwelling, predatory animals of the order
Actiniaria. They are named for the anemone, a terrestrial flower. There is an
enormous variance in shape and color among anemones, some you have seen above
with more below. An especially lovely one with long thin tentacles is the
pinkish yellow anemone, blending in very well with its background, while the
strawberry anemones do the same in their habitat.
The
sea anemone may look like the beautiful flower, but fish that swim too close
may regret it. The anemone, which is related to corals and jellyfish, uses
venom-laden tentacles to stab passing victims with a paralyzing neurotoxin,
rendering them helpless and fit to be eaten.
Sea
anemones are classified in the phylum Cnidaria, class Anthozoa, subclass
Hexacorallia. Anthozoa often have large polyps that allow for digestion of
larger prey and also lack a medusa stage. As cnidarians, sea anemones are
related to corals, jellyfish, tube-dwelling anemones, and Hydra.
Scientific
classification of Sea anemones:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Subclass: Hexacorallia
Order: Actiniaria
Sea
anemones are commonly yellow, green, or blue; they are typically attached by
the pedal disk, or base, to a hard surface such as a rock, wharf timber, a
seashell, or the back of a crab. Most seldom move; some occasionally creep very
slowly or move in a slow somersaulting fashion.
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