Appearance and lifestyle:
Anemones (Actiniaria) are simple animals that look like delicate colourful flowers that vary in size, colour and shape. But these “flowers” can move and catch prey. They have a mouth which is surrounded by tentacles with stinging cells that protect them against predators and injects venom into prey.
Habitat:
They are found everywhere throughout the world, and they usually are attached to shells, rocks or coral reefs.
Diet:
Anemones are carnivorous, they eat animals that come close to their tentacles such as small fish, shrimp and plankton.
Threats:
- Pollution
- Climate change
- Degradation of coral reefs
- Over-collection
Some sea anemones are bioluminescent and can glow in the dark.
To protect themselves, anemones secrete a special slime that prevents the stinging cells on one tentacle from firing when they come into contact with other tentacles or with the anemone’s body.
Can live up to 50 years or more.