Dangerous and Deadly Sea Creatures: Yellow Sea Anemone

Sea anemones are a group of water-dwelling, predatory animals of the order Actiniaria. They are named for the anemone, a terrestrial flower. There is an enormous variance in shape and color among anemones, some you have seen above with more below. An especially lovely one with long thin tentacles is the pinkish yellow anemone, blending in very well with its background, while the strawberry anemones do the same in their habitat.

The sea anemone may look like the beautiful flower, but fish that swim too close may regret it. The anemone, which is related to corals and jellyfish, uses venom-laden tentacles to stab passing victims with a paralyzing neurotoxin, rendering them helpless and fit to be eaten.

Sea anemones are classified in the phylum Cnidaria, class Anthozoa, subclass Hexacorallia. Anthozoa often have large polyps that allow for digestion of larger prey and also lack a medusa stage. As cnidarians, sea anemones are related to corals, jellyfish, tube-dwelling anemones, and Hydra.

Scientific classification of Sea anemones:

Kingdom:        Animalia

Phylum:           Cnidaria

Class:  Anthozoa

Subclass:        Hexacorallia

Order: Actiniaria

Sea anemones are commonly yellow, green, or blue; they are typically attached by the pedal disk, or base, to a hard surface such as a rock, wharf timber, a seashell, or the back of a crab. Most seldom move; some occasionally creep very slowly or move in a slow somersaulting fashion.