WHATSTHATFISH
Corals & anemones

Beaded Anemone

Heteractis aurora

Also known as: Adhesive Sea Anemone, Aurora Host Anemone, Beaded Sea Anemone, Carpet Anemone, Corn Anemone, Flat Anemone, Hexacoral, Ritteri Anemone, Saddle Tip Anemone, Sand Anemone, White-beaded Anemone

Adult
@fishx6 · Gangehi, Maldives · March 20081 / 8
01

Overview

Found in areas of strong current amongst corals attaching themselves to a surface, and remain partially buried in sand and sediment, if threatened, they may retract entirely out of view into the substrate, found along rocky reef edges and slopes of reefs playing host to 7 types of anemonefish and their families.
They feed on fish fry, small invertebrates and zooplankton by catching them in their sticky, stinging tentacles.

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.

02

How to identify

Body shape
curly

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Country only · 8
LIVES IN

Found in areas of strong current amongst corals attaching themselves to a surface, and remain partially buried in sand and sediment, if threatened, they may retract entirely out of view into the substrate, found along rocky reef edges and slopes of reefs playing host to 7 types of anemonefish and their families.

04

Adult photos 8

06

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumCnidaria
    3. classHexacorallia
    4. orderActiniaria
    5. familyHeteractidae
    6. genusHeteractis
    7. speciesHeteractis aurora (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833)

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    07

    More in the family

    Actiniaria