Anatomy Of A Sea Anemone

As a cnidarian the sea anemone is closely related to coral and jellyfish. It is commonly called sea anemone and is a marine commensal which is frequently seen attached to empty gastropod shells in which hermit crabs eupagurus prideauxi live.

Clownfish And Host Anemone Matches

Sea anemones are a group of marine predatory animals of the order actiniaria.

Anatomy of a sea anemone. Other close relations to the sea anemone are the solitary tube dwelling anemones and the hydras. Sea anemones are classified in the phylum cnidaria class anthozoa subclass hexacorallia. Sea anemones come in many shapes sizes and colors.

The base of the sea anemone is a pedal disc or foot that attaches firmly to solid objects like rocks and coral or anchors it to the sea floor. They are studded with microscopic stinging capsules. Sea anemone any member of the invertebrate order actiniaria class anthozoa phylum cnidaria soft bodied primarily sedentary marine animals resembling flowers.

Unlike jellyfish sea anemones do not have a medusa stage in their life cycle. Radially symmetric they have a columnar body with a single body opening the mouth which is surrounded by tentacles. Sea anemone internal anatomy in this image you will find oral disk mouth tentacles with stinging nematocysts sphincter muscle pharynx complete mesentery gastrovascular cavity ostium collar retractor muscle incomplete mesentery basal disk in it.

At the small end of the spectrum sea anemones can be just four millimeters and may possess as few as 10 tentacles. A close relative of coral and jellyfish anemones are stinging polyps that spend most of their time attached to rocks on the sea bottom or on coral reefs waiting for fish to pass close enough to get ensnared in their venom filled tentacles. At the larger end they can be up to two meters in height and possess hundreds of tentacles.

As cnidarians sea anemones are related to corals jellyfish tube dwelling anemones and hydra. Named after a terrestrial flower the anemone sea anemones form a group of water dwelling filter feeding animals of the order actinaria. The ornately colored sea anemone uh nem uh nee is named after the equally flashy terrestrial anemone flower.

In this example of commensalism both sea anemone and hermit crab exhibit physiological treaty. Sea anemones have very simple internal anatomy. The tentacles protect the anemone and catch its food.

They are found from the tidal zone of all oceans to depths of more than 10000 metres about 33000 feet. A typical sea anemone is a single polyp atta. Some anemones have small wart like projections called verrucae that are arranged in rows and are usually a different colour to the anemone.

They are named after the anemone a terrestrial flowering plant because of the colourful appearance of many.

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