WHATSTHATFISH
Corals & anemones

Magnificent Sea Anemone

Radianthus magnifica

Also known as: Coral Ornament Carpet Anemone, Giant Anemone, Hexacoral, Magnificent Anemone, Purple Foot Anemone, Ritteri Anemone

Adult
@fishx6 · Mirihi Island Resort, Maldives · May 20081 / 65
01

Overview

Found singly on hard bottoms that are exposed to current and light over coral and rocky reefs playing host to 12 types of anemone fish and their families.
They feed on fish fry, small invertebrates and zooplankton by catching 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 anemonefish and some live commensally with various crabs, shrimp and brittle stars.

02

How to identify

Body shape
tentacles
Behaviour
solitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Exact location · 4
  • Country only · 61
LIVES IN

Found singly on hard bottoms that are exposed to current and light over coral and rocky reefs playing host to 12 types of anemone fish and their families.

04

Adult photos 65

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. familyStichodactylidae
    6. genusRadianthus
    7. speciesRadianthus magnifica (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833)

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    07

    More in the family

    Sea Anemones (Stichodactylidae)