Haeckeli Anemone
Actinostephanus haeckeli
Also known as: Branching Anemone, Branching Tube Anemone, Haeckel's Anemone, Haeckel's Sand Anemone, Hexacoral, Sea Snake Anemone, Snake Arm Anemone, Snake Sea Anemone
- Branching Anemone
- Branching Tube Anemone
- Haeckel's Anemone
- Haeckel's Sand Anemone
- Hexacoral
- Sea Snake Anemone
- Snake Arm Anemone
- Snake Sea Anemone
Overview
Found anchored to the sandy substrate, of shallow coral and rocky shorelines. Varies in colour.
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.
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Western Pacific
- Country only · 4
Found anchored to the sandy substrate, of shallow coral and rocky shorelines.
Adult photos 4
Discussion
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Deep dive
Taxonomy
- familyActinodendronidae
- genusActinostephanus
- speciesActinostephanus haeckeli Kwietniewski, 1897
SourcesWoRMS