Sea Anemone

About Sea Anemone

• It is an invertebrate aquatic animal marked by soft bodies and has an ability to sting. They are close associates of corals and live rocks.
• It is an ocean-dwelling member of the phylum Cnidaria.
• It has a sticky foot or disc that allows them to anchor to rocks on the sea bottom or on coral reefs.
• They have stinging cells which are equipped with organelles known as nematocysts that contain small threads which are forcefully everted when stimulated mechanically or chemically.
• They are known to form symbiotic relationships with other animals; their most well-known alliance is with clownfish.
• They make their homes within the anemone’s tentacles, protected from predators; in return, the anemone eats the clownfish’s leftover meals.
• Anemones can have anywhere from a dozen to a few hundred tentacles. These cnidarians come in a variety of colors, decorating a tide pool or reef like a garden of wildflowers.
• Some species of sea anemones also have a relationship with Hermit crabs. The anemone will attach itself to the crab’s shell and be carried around to find more food, while the crab uses the anemone as protection from its predators.

Q1: What is a Symbiotic relationship?

These are the close associations formed between pairs of species. They come in a variety of forms, such as parasitism (where one species benefits and the other is harmed) and commensalism.

Source: Scientists flag mass sea anemone bleaching off Agatti island