Scientific Name:
Anthopleura elegantissima
Description
A small (5–10 cm/2–4 in in diameter) species of greenish-yellow anemone that groups together, or “aggregates.” You can see small pieces of rock and shell stuck to their olive exteriors when they close to prevent water loss.
Behaviors
Even though they receive food from the algae living inside their bodies, aggregating anemones use their tentacles to gather falling food like barnacle pieces, dead plankton, and any other organic material in the water.
Fun Facts
Aggregating anemones can split their bodies into half creating exact copies of themselves (asexual reproduction). In some cases a whole group of anemones could have started from a single individual!
Nature Topics
Photo credit: ©Kip Evans
