Description
Also known as Beaded-tentacled Anemone, Branching Anemone, Broccoli Anemone, Fire Anemone, Hells Fire, Hexacoral, Knobby-tentacled Anemone, Pinnate Anemone, Sand Anemone, Tree Anemone.
Found attached to the substrate, on coral and sandy bottoms, of coral and rocky reefs. These anemones can give a very nasty sting, which can cause severe skin ulcers, hence the name! When disturbed they can retract their entire bodies into the sand.
They feed on zooplankton.
Width - 30cm
Depth - 8-20m
Widespread Indo-Pacific
No Clownfish naturally associated with this anemone although some Periclimenes shrimps are found with this anemone.
Sea Anemones are large solitary polyps which have no skeleton. They have a basal or pedal disc which helps them crawl and dig into place, for some, once in place it is virtually impossible to move. Other smaller anemones move around the reef to feed at night.
Most eat plankton, but they are capable of eating anything caught in their stinging tentacles including quite big fish.
The fringing tentacles are configured in six or multiples of six.
Some sea anemones have a symbiotic relationship with sea anemones and some live commensally with various crabs, shrimp and brittle stars. (edit)
Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actinodendron_arboreum
4 comments
Of course would be glad to help with the picture for your book. Cheers Lorraine
Dear Dr. Kindly permit me to share your following figure Actinodendron plumosum https://www.whatsthatfish.com/fish/hells-fire-sea-anemone/1311 for my title “ Biology and Ecology of Venomous Marine Cnidarians” to be published by Springer, Singapore. Due acknowledgments would be given Many thanks
why people should do that? its a devil way to poison a person!!! If that is happening then, maybe oil or egg white can help???... not sure..
Here in the town of Culasi, Antique, Phillippines, the islanders are using a specie of fire anemone, locally known as "KILKIG" is used as poison. The anemone is sun dried, powdered and put into drinking water, beverages and alcoholic drinks.