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A typical sea anemone is a sessile polyp attached at the base to the surface beneath it by an adhesive foot, called a basal or pedal disc, with a column-shaped body topped by an oral disc. Most are from 1 to 5 cm (0.4 to 2.0 in) in diameter and 1.5 to 10 cm (0.6 to 3.9 in) in length, but they are inflatable and vary greatly in dimensions.
The name urchin is an old word for hedgehog, which sea urchins resemble; they have archaically been called sea hedgehogs. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] The name is derived from the Old French herichun , from Latin ericius ('hedgehog').
The starlet sea anemone is used as a model organism in research. [34] It is easy to care for in the laboratory and a protocol has been developed which can yield large numbers of embryos on a daily basis. [35] There is a remarkable degree of similarity in the gene sequence conservation and complexity between the sea anemone and vertebrates. [35]
Diadema antillarum, also known as the lime urchin, black sea urchin, or the long-spined sea urchin, [2] is a species of sea urchin in the family Diadematidae. This sea urchin is characterized by its exceptionally long black spines. It is the most abundant and important herbivore on the coral reefs of the western Atlantic and Caribbean basin.
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.
Why the Venus Flytrap Sea Anemone is Called a Keystone Species. A keystone species is a term scientists use for species that are critically important to their ecosystem. When a keystone species ...
A number of sea anemone species are commensal with other organisms. Certain crabs and hermit crabs seek out sea anemones and place them on their shells for protection, and fish, shrimps and crabs live among the anemone's tentacles, gaining protection by being in close proximity to the stinging cells.
For marine scientists, it was deja vu: Another die-off swept through the region in the 1980s and slashed sea urchin populations by around 98%. Last year, sea urchins in the Caribbean started ...