WHATSTHATFISH
Corals & anemones

Wandering Sea Anemone

Phlyctenactis tuberculosa

Also known as: Baked Bean Anemone, Beach Ball Anemone, Brain Anemone, Bulb Anemone, Free-swimming Anemone, Grape Anemone, Hexacoral, Swimming Anemone

Adult
@Lee · Magic point Sydney, Australia · May 20131 / 2
01

Overview

Found during the days in a bundle like a heap of baked beans attached to rocks and sea-grasses or stranded in rock pools, then drifting, rolling and tumbling during the night feeding with its tentacles extended.
This is a stinging anemone and comes in various colours.
Indo-Pacific - Australia, New Zealand

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

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found during the days in a bundle like a heap of baked beans attached to rocks and sea-grasses or stranded in rock pools, then drifting, rolling and tumbling during the night feeding with its tentacles extended.

04

Adult photos 2

05

Discussion

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

No comments yet. Seen one, or got a question about it? Start the discussion.

    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumCnidaria
    3. classHexacorallia
    4. orderActiniaria
    5. familyActiniidae
    6. genusPhlyctenactis
    7. speciesPhlyctenactis tuberculosa (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833)

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    06

    More in the family

    Sea Anemones (Actiniidae)