# Strawberry Anemone (*actinia fragacea*) The Strawberry Anemone is a colorful sea creature that looks like a flower waving in the ocean. It loves to stick to rocks and can change its color to blend in with its surroundings! - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal waters, often found in tide pools and on rocky substrates. - **Also known as:** Ocean Anemone ![Strawberry Anemone](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Actinia_fragacea_%28Strawberry_Anemone%29.JPG&width=800) Photo: MichaelMaggs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Actinia_fragacea_%28Strawberry_Anemone%29.JPG) ## Appearance The Strawberry Anemone is a vibrant, disc-shaped anemone, typically deep red or pink, often with white or pale green 'spots' resembling a strawberry. It has numerous short, transparent tentacles arranged in rows around a central mouth, and often appears smooth and plump when closed. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Cnidaria - **Class:** Anthozoa - **Order:** Actiniaria - **Family:** Actiniidae - **Genus:** Actinia ## Interesting facts - It can clone itself by budding off tiny new anemones from its base! - It can close up like a jelly ball to survive when the tide goes out! - Its super-sticky "foot" glues it firmly to rocks, even in crashing waves! - This anemone can live for over 50 years, making it one of the longest-lived invertebrates! ## Special abilities - **Sticky Snare:** Strawberry Anemone can sting and capture prey with its nematocyst-filled tentacles because of specialized cells that release tiny harpoons. - **Self-Sealing Shield:** Strawberry Anemone can fully retract its tentacles and seal its body tightly because of strong sphincter muscles that prevent water loss and protect it. - **Budding Builder:** Strawberry Anemone can create perfect copies of itself through asexual reproduction called budding because of its ability to grow new individuals directly from its base. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 3-8 cm diameter - **Lifespan:** 50 years - **Tentacle Count:** 192 - **Color Variations:** red, pink, purple, orange, green, brown ## Diet & Feeding This anemone is a carnivore, grabbing small passing animals with its sticky tentacles. - **Primary Foods:** Small crustaceans, Zooplankton, Tiny fish larvae, Detritus - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Shaggy Sea Hare (*Aeolidia papillosa*) — This sea slug preys on anemones including this species. - **Eaten by:** Common Starfish (*Asterias rubens*) — This starfish is a known predator of sessile marine invertebrates. - **Eats:** Calanus Copepod (*Calanus finmarchicus*) — Anemones capture these tiny drifting crustaceans with their stinging tentacles. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Invertebrates](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/invertebrates) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not touch wild anemones as they can sting. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Strawberry Anemone? Look for fins, arms, tentacles, shells and body symmetry. Underwater light shifts colors, so structure and markings usually matter more than shade. Sea Creature Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How big is Strawberry Anemone? 3-8 cm diameter ### How long does Strawberry Anemone live? 50 years ### What does Strawberry Anemone eat? This anemone is a carnivore, grabbing small passing animals with its sticky tentacles. ### Where is Strawberry Anemone usually found? Coastal waters, often found in tide pools and on rocky substrates. ### How does Strawberry Anemone hunt? Ambush ### How many tentacles does Strawberry Anemone have? 192 ### What colors can Strawberry Anemone be? red, pink, purple, orange, green, brown ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Strawberry Anemone: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/strawberry-anemone)