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Photographs\Anemones
British Marine Life
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Burrowing Anemone - Cerianthus lloydi

Burrowing Anemone - Cerianthus lloydi

Burrowing Anemone - Cerianthus Lloydi

Burrowing Anemone - Cerianthus Lloydi

Sealoch Anemone - Protanthia simplex

Sealoch Anemone - Protanthia simplex

Jewel Anemone - Corynactis viridis

Jewel Anemone - Corynactis viridis

Snakelocks Anemone - Anemonia viridis

Snakelocks Anemone - Anemonia viridis

White Cluster Anemones-Parazoanthus anguicomus

White Cluster Anemones-Parazoanthus anguicomus

Yellow Cluster Anemone - Parazoanthus axinellae

Yellow Cluster Anemone - Parazoanthus axinellae

Anemone - Bolocera tuediae

Anemone - Bolocera tuediae

Large Dahlia Anemone --- Urticina eques

Large Dahlia Anemone --- Urticina eques

Large Dahlia Anemone --- Uritcina eques

Large Dahlia Anemone --- Uritcina eques

Daisy Anemone --- Cereus pedunculatus

Daisy Anemone --- Cereus pedunculatus

Fireworks Anemone - Pachycerianthus multiplicatus

Fireworks Anemone - Pachycerianthus multiplicatus

Cloak Anemone - Adamsia carciniopados

Cloak Anemone - Adamsia carciniopados

Cloak Anemone - Adamsia carciniopados

Cloak Anemone - Adamsia carciniopados

Sagartia Anemone - Sagartia elegans

Sagartia Anemone -   Sagartia elegans

Plumose Anemone - Metridium dianthus (formerly M. senile)

Plumose Anemone - Metridium dianthus (formerly M. senile)

Plumose Anemones - Metridium dianthus (formerly M. senile)

Plumose Anemones - Metridium dianthus (formerly M. senile)

Anemones

Despite being very flower-like. sea anemones are animals. When exposed on a shore or after disturbance, with a few exceptions, the tentacles are retracted and the anemone becomes an unattractive shapeless lump of tissue. A few species are unable to retract but can shed tentacles quite readily when attacked. When expanded as these photographs show, many can be strikingly coloured and beautiful.
All are carnivorous and use their tentacles to trap food which they transfer to the central mouth. Some types with fine, delicate tentacles take plankton but other big species are able to take quite large prey by dragging it down towards the mouth and expanding the body up and around the tentacles and prey and completely enveloping it. The anemone may then stay in this retracted state whilst digestion takes place.
Unlike on land, there are great colour variations between animals of the same species. It is common to find whilst diving a clump of Dahlia Anemones for instance, where one may be red and yellow with its neighbours being combinations of white, blue, purple, yellow, red and all shades in between - and all with different patterns.
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