Sunburst Anemone
ExploreInvertebrate
Sunburst Anemone
anthopleura sola
The Sunburst Anemone is a colorful sea creature that looks like a flower waving in the water! It has beautiful tentacles that can catch tiny food floating by.
Habitat: Tidal pools and rocky coastal areas
Appearance
The Sunburst Anemone has a striking, often solitary appearance with a column that can be red, orange, or white. Its oral disc features radial stripes, resembling a sunburst, surrounded by numerous short tentacles.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumCnidariaClassAnthozoaOrderActiniariaFamilyActiniidaeGenusAnthopleura
Category
InvertebrateRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
It can live for many decades, much longer than most pets!
It often lives alone, unlike many anemones that gather in groups!
Its vibrant colors come partly from tiny algae living inside it!
This anemone can regenerate lost tentacles or even its entire body!
Special abilities
Ability
Sticky Shield
Sunburst Anemone can cover its column with sand and shell fragments because it has special sticky cells that help them camouflage and protect against predators.
Ability
Stingy Snacks
Sunburst Anemone can catch passing prey because its tentacles are armed with tiny stinging cells called nematocysts that help them paralyze and grab food.
Ability
Slow Shuffle
Sunburst Anemone can slowly glide across rocks because it has a muscular 'foot' called a pedal disc that helps them find better feeding spots or escape danger.
Measurements & details
- Average Size
- 15 cm
- Lifespan
- 20 years
- Number Of Tentacles
- 300
Diet & Feeding
This carnivore ambushes small ocean creatures passing by with its stinging tentacles.
Age differences: null
Primary Foods
- Small fish
- Crabs
- Shrimp
- Zooplankton
Foraging Method
- Ambush
Ecological connections
symbiotic with
Zooxanthellae
Symbiodinium microadriaticum
Algae live inside, providing food from sunlight.
hunts
Common Lagoon Shrimp
Palaemon rathkei
Catches unwary shrimp that swim into its tentacles.
eaten by
Leather Star
Dermasterias imbricata
Some sea stars slowly consume anemones.
Traits
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Filter Feeder
Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Marine
Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.
Also known as
Colorful AnemoneRainbow Anemone
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Be careful not to touch their tentacles, as they can sting!
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is Sunburst Anemone?
15 cm
How long does Sunburst Anemone live?
20 years
What does Sunburst Anemone eat?
This carnivore ambushes small ocean creatures passing by with its stinging tentacles.
Where is Sunburst Anemone usually found?
Tidal pools and rocky coastal areas
How does Sunburst Anemone hunt?
Ambush
How many tentacles does Sunburst Anemone have?
300
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