|
Anthopleura elegantissima (Aggregating anemone)
Copyright ©
2005 Mary Jo Adams
Anthopleura
elegantissima lives in
rocky areas from the middle to low intertidal zones, it can also
be found higher in tide pools. When the tide is out, Anthopleura
may be hard to see because as the tide recedes and the organism
closes up, it picks up bits of shells, sand, and small rocks that
will cover it. This helps in camouflage and also protects it from
drying out.
Colonies
of Anthopleura elegantissima may cover large rocks. These
cloned individuals usually don't grow more than about an inch across
before splitting into two new anemones. Larger solitary individuals
can be found in tide pools and in the low intertidal zone.
This
anemone is generally green with pink or purple tipped tentacles.
The exact shade of green varies depending on the presence and ratio
of two single-celled symbiotic organisms in its tissues; a green
algae and an olive or golden brown dinoflagellate. Without
the symbiont, they appear grayish or white except for the pink on
their tentacles.
Anthopleura
elegantissima has a rather general diet, feeding on small animals
that it captures with its tentacles, barnacle molts, and other dead
animal material.
This page was created by Mary Jo Adams on 10/23/05.
|
