Anthopleura xanthogrammica | |
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Anthopleura xanthogrammica | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Cnidaria |
Class: | Hexacorallia |
Order: | Actiniaria |
Family: | Actiniidae |
Genus: | Anthopleura |
Species: | A. xanthogrammica |
Binomial name | |
Anthopleura xanthogrammica | |
Anthopleura xanthogrammica, or the giant green anemone, is a species of intertidal sea anemone of the family Actiniidae.
Other common names for this anemone include green surf anemone, giant green sea anemone, green anemone, giant tidepool anemone, anemone, and rough anemone. [2]
The column width and height can reach a maximum of 17.5 [3] and 30 cm, respectively. [4] The crown of tentacles can be as wide as 25 cm in diameter, [4] while the column, itself, tends to be widest at the base in order to offer a more stable connection to the rocks. [5]
It has a broad, flat oral disk surface [6] and no striping, banding, or other markings. [5]
If A. xanthogrammica is exposed to proper amounts of sunlight, it can appear bright green [5] when submerged under water.
When not submerged, it appears dark green or brown. This is because the anemone tends to close up and "droop" and its now exposed column is actually dark green and slightly brown, but the hidden tentacles and oral disk are bright green. [3]
The tentacles, which are short and conical, [3] are arranged in six or more rows surrounding the oral disk [4] [7] and can be pointed or blunt at the tips. [5]
Generally, A. xanthogrammica is found along the low to mid intertidal zones of the Pacific Ocean, from Alaska to southern California and sometimes downwards to Panama, where cold water swells can occur. [4] [5] [7] [8]
A. xanthogrammica prefers to inhabit sandy or rocky shorelines, where water remains for most of the day. [4] They can generally be found in tide pools up to 15 m deep. [3] Occasionally A. xanthogrammica can also be found in deep channels of more exposed rocky shores and concrete pilings in bays and harbors. [5]
Photosynthetic algae, zoochlorellae, and the dinoflagellates, zooxanthellae, live in the epidermis and tissue of the gut of A. xanthogrammica. In this symbiotic relationship, the zoochlorellae and zooxanthellae provide nutrients to the anemone via photosynthesis and contribute to the bright green color of the anemone's oral disk and tentacles. [4] [7] The bright green color is also due to pigmentation. [5]
Anthopleura xanthogrammica anemones living in caves and shady zones have reduced or no natural symbionts and tend to be less colorful. [3] [4] [5] [7]
These anemones tend to live a solitary life, but can be occasionally seen as groups with no less than 14 individuals per square meter. [4] [5] [7] They can move slowly using their basal disks, but usually stay sessile. [4] [7] Like other anemones, A. xanthogrammica can use stinging cells located in the tentacles as protection from predators and a mechanism to capture prey. [4] [7]
Anthopleura xanthogrammica reproduce sexually via external fertilization of sperm and eggs in the late fall. Newly formed pelagic, planktotrophic larvae float in the water until dispersing and settling in mussel beds. [3] [4] [7]
Nematocysts found in the tentacles assist A. xanthogrammica to catch and paralyze prey. [3] [4] [7] After feeding and digestion is complete, the anemone excretes its waste back through the mouth opening. [4] [7]
Main predators of A. xanthogrammica include: the leather seastar Dermasterias imbricata , [5] the nudibranch Aeolidia papillosa and the snail Epitonium tinctum (both feed on the tentacles), and the snails Opalia chacei and Opalia funiculata and the sea spider Pycnogonum stearnsi (that feed on the column). [4] [7]
The anemone feeds on sea urchins, small fish, and crabs, but detached mussels seem to be the main food source. [5] [7] There are rare instances where the giant green anemone has consumed seabirds. [9] It is not known whether the birds were alive or dead when engulfed by the anemone.
Occasionally, A. xanthogrammica can be confused with large individuals of A. elegantissima or A. sola , but both of these other anemones have (usually) pink-tipped tentacles and a striped oral disk, unlike A.xanthogrammica. [5]
Anthozoa is a class of marine invertebrates which includes the sea anemones, stony corals and soft corals. Adult anthozoans are almost all attached to the seabed, while their larvae can disperse as part of the plankton. The basic unit of the adult is the polyp; this consists of a cylindrical column topped by a disc with a central mouth surrounded by tentacles. Sea anemones are mostly solitary, but the majority of corals are colonial, being formed by the budding of new polyps from an original, founding individual. Colonies are strengthened by calcium carbonate and other materials and take various massive, plate-like, bushy or leafy forms.
A tide pool or rock pool is a shallow pool of seawater that forms on the rocky intertidal shore. These pools typically range from a few inches to a few feet deep and a few feet across. Many of these pools exist as separate bodies of water only at low tide, as seawater gets trapped when the tide recedes. Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon. A tidal cycle is usually about 25 hours and consists of one or two high tides and two low tides.
Heteractis magnifica, also known by the common names magnificent sea anemone or Ritteri anemone, is a species of sea anemone belonging to the Stichodactylidae family native to the Indo-Pacific area.
The aggregating anemone, or clonal anemone, is the most abundant species of sea anemone found on rocky, tide swept shores along the Pacific coast of North America. This cnidarian hosts endosymbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that contribute substantially to primary productivity in the intertidal zone. The aggregating anemone has become a model organism for the study of temperate cnidarian-algal symbioses.
Zoochlorella is a coloquial term for any green algae that lives symbiotically within the body of an aquatic invertebrate animal or a protozoan.
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Anemonia sulcata, or Mediterranean snakelocks sea anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae from the Mediterranean Sea. Whether A. sulcata should be recognized as a synonym of A. viridis remains a matter of dispute.
The Davenport Tide Pools are located just past the town of Davenport, California in the United States. They are located off Davenport Landing, which is a street off Highway 1. The tide pools are unique due to the ridges that run up and down the tide pools, allowing for different organisms to live close, even though in a normal habitat they would be unable to do so. The Beach is open sunrise to sunset, and is day use only.
The starburst anemone or sunburst anemone is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. The sunburst anemone was formerly considered the solitary form of the common aggregating anemone, but was identified as a separate species in 2000.
Urticina crassicornis, commonly known as the mottled anemone, the painted anemone or the Christmas anemone, is a large and common intertidal and subtidal species of sea anemone. Its habitat includes a large portion of the coastal areas of the northern hemisphere, mainly polar regions, and it lives a solitary life for up to 80 years. Mottled anemones are similar to Dahlia anemones and both are commonly referred to as northern red anemones.
Sea anemones are a group of predatory marine invertebrates constituting the order Actiniaria. Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the Anemone, a terrestrial flowering plant. Sea anemones are classified in the phylum Cnidaria, class Anthozoa, subclass Hexacorallia. As cnidarians, sea anemones are related to corals, jellyfish, tube-dwelling anemones, and Hydra. Unlike jellyfish, sea anemones do not have a medusa stage in their life cycle.
Triactis is a genus of sea anemone in the family Aliciidae. It is monotypic, having only one species – Triactis producta. This species is found in shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific where it lives on the seabed, rocks and corals. It derives much of its energy needs from the symbiotic algae it contains. It also forms a mutualistic relationship with small Lybia crabs.
Bartholomea annulata is a species of sea anemone in the family Aiptasiidae, commonly known as the ringed anemone or corkscrew anemone. It is one of the most common anemones found on reefs in the Caribbean Sea.
Oulactis muscosa, also known as the sand anemone and speckled anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae.
Lebrunia coralligens, commonly known as the hidden anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Aliciidae. It is found in shallow water in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Brazil. It lives in fissures in corals and rocks.
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Anthopleura thallia, commonly known as the glaucous pimplet, is a species of sea anemone in the family Actiniidae. It is found in shallow water in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Aeolidia loui is a species of sea slugs, an aeolid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Aeolidiidae. It has been regarded as the same species as the NE Atlantic Aeolidia papillosa but is now known to be a distinct species. Common names include shaggy mouse nudibranch, and shag-rug nudibranch.
Anthopleura rosea, commonly known as the rose anemone or rock pool anemone, is a small pink anemone endemic to New Zealand.
Anthopleura artemisia is a species of sea anemone. It is known by a number of common names, including burrowing anemone and moonglow anemone. It was first described to science in 1846 in a volume by James Dwight Dana, reporting on the animals found on the United States Exploring Expedition. Dana attributes the description to Charles Pickering, who was a naturalist on the expedition.