Description
Also known as European Sea Anemone, Hermit Crab Anemone, Hexacoral.
Found on sand and stone bottoms of coral and rocky reefs.
They feed on plankton.
Length - ?cm
Depth - 0-40m
Widespread Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean, North Sea
Usually found on the hermit crab Pagurus prideaux.
When Hermit crabs need to change their shells, they do so at night and at the same time move their anemones from their old homes to the new!
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. Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adamsia_palliata
1 comment
Posted by @fishx6Your critter has been named, check it out in your gallery!