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Sea anemones (Actiniae) Lithograph, by Ernst Haeckel, c. 1904 |
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| Sea anemones, belonging to the order Actiniaria in the phylum Cnidaria, are marine invertebrates that resemble flowers but use stinging tentacles armed with specialised cells called cnidocytes to capture prey such as small fish and invertebrates. They are usually attached by a base to rocks, coral or sediment, though some species can move slowly or detach and drift, and many form mutualistic relationships with organisms such as clownfish or single‑celled photosynthetic algae such as dinoflagellates (zooxanthellae) or, in some temperate species, green algae (zoochlorellae) that provide additional nourishment. Found in oceans worldwide from shallow tidal zones to great depths, sea anemones vary in size and form, with over a thousand recognised species. |
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1. Heliactis bellis (Cereus pedunculatus) |
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