Dahlia Anemone found off Selsey
The Dahlia Anemone can be found while snorkelling or diving off Selsey, and comes in an amazing range of colours from pink, purple, yellow to red versions. Anya Frampton, Selsey's resident SSI Marine Ecology Instructor introduces the Anemone a member of the Cnidaria family which includes jellyfish.
Anenomes have a short squat column, so when open, they appear to be laying flat on the bottom. The column is covered in nodes that look like warts, it is camouflaged by bits of shell and small pebbles that stick to the column.
Growing to a be the size of a dinner plate around (20cms) they are much easier to spot when open. In the centre you can see the mouth, which is often in a contrasting colour, surrounding the centre are short, wide tentacles. Each anemone will have about 160 tentacles arranged in groups of ten. There is a clear banding on each that give the appearance of a ring.
They are powerful predators, using their tentacles to sting and paralyse their prey. They may stay still but beware any unfortunate, crab, worm, mollusc, prawns, or fish that stray too close. At their largest they can digest a sizable fish. Once stunned the meal is moved toward the mouth and feeding can begin. The sting is strong enough to cause harm to some humans so remember, as with all marine life, look but do not touch.
There is much we do not yet know about these striking and beautiful residents, like how long can they live? There are examples in controlled environments still going strong after 50 years…. a bit longer than the garden variety of dahlia will stay in bloom!
If you have any questions about the Dahlia Anemome found off Selsey, then contact Anya Frampton, Selsey's resident SSI Marine Ecology Instructor at Mulberry Marine Experiences.
Image courtesy of Anya Frampton