|
How does it look like?
This anemone of the Actiniidae family has a column up to 10 centimeters high, a base of about 7 cm in diameter, which is not very adhesive and sucking, and has up to 200 tentacles, arranged in 6 crowns around the mouth opening, up to 20 cm long. While the body, cylindrical, can be white, yellowish, green or reddish, the tentacles, not very retractable and very fragile, can show differences in hue depending on the depth at which the anemone lives, which is directly related to the absence/presence of symbiont algae inside: in deep water it acquires grayish colorations, while in shallow water it has bright green tones due to the endosymbiont zooxanthellae. In addition, the tips of the tentacles often show a violet or pink coloration.
Where does it live?
This species is rather a solitary anemone, although it can sometimes be found in small groups. It lives in crevices and crevices of rocky bottoms of warm or warm shallow waters generally well illuminated, as it is relatively resistant to changes in temperature and salinity. It is a very common species throughout the Mediterranean and South Atlantic of Europe and does not inhabit waters deeper than 20 meters.
How does it feed?
With the help of its tentacles it can capture from small invertebrates such as copepods and amphipods, to mussels and small fish. In addition, it maintains a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae located in its digestive tract, which, thanks to energy from sunlight, supply the anemone with carbohydrates, lipids and proteins, while the anemone provides the algae with metabolized food such as CO2, reduced nitrogen compounds, etc.
How does it reproduce?
It has the ability to reproduce asexually by bipartition or sexually by production of eggs and sperm.
Is a confusion possible?
Its appearance may resemble that of the anemones Cribrinopsis crassa or Condylactis aurantiaca. Although the former is also green, it has thicker and shorter tentacles, while the latter shows a more yellowish coloration and a shape reminiscent of the sun, in addition to inhabiting mostly at greater depths and in the middle of the sand.
Curiosities
· Among the tentacles can be found organisms of other species, which establish more or less close associations with this anemone: from sea spiders like Maja crispata, to decapods like Periclimenes, crabs like Scyllarus arctus or Inachus phalangium, or fish like Gobius bucchichii or Chromis chromis.
· When disturbed, it secretes very stinging substances that can cause more or less severe scaling at the cutaneous level. In such a case, it is recommended to remove the tentacles attached to the skin and apply diluted ammonia, alcohol or any other suitable topical salve for pain relief.
· Aquarium life is relatively easy, as long as the anemone is placed in tanks of at least 50 liters with adequate aeration and lighting.
· Mixed with flour and egg it can be eaten. It is known as "sea nettle" and has a very intense taste.
· This species is also known as Anemonia sulcata, although this synonym is not anymore accepted.
Taxonomy
Phylum: Cnidaria, Class: Anthozoa, Subclass: Hexacorallia, Order: Actiniaria, Suborder: Nyantheae, Infraorder: Thenaria, Superfamily: Endomyaria, Family: Actiniidae, Genus: Anemonia |
