This page is on Heteractus magnifica. Heteractus magnifica is the well-known sea anemone. It is in the phylum Cnidaria. Their size can be a half of an inch or as big as 2m (6ft). Their color can be purple, orange and even shades of green. Sea anemones do well in their ecosystem because their niche is near coral. They can be found all over the world. For example, they live in the indo-pacific ocean. That is the main habitat range. In the food web, they eat many things. They eat things that swim past them. They reach out with their tentacles to grab things; this helps them compete for food. They have a sting on the ends of their tentacles. One good thing for predators is that sea anemones can’t move because they're stuck on something like a rock.

There aren’t many animals that eat sea anemones. When there is a predator it sticks out the sting on its tentacles. There are stings on many tentacles. It is a tiny hair that when its touched the sting comes out. One thing that’s interesting to me is the sting. Sea anemones can survive very well by themselves. There are 6,000 to 11,000 Magnificent sea anemones. Sea anemones are growing and flourishing through the sea. Fish and predators are contributing to sea anemones because there aren’t predators that eat them. That’s what sea anemones are and how they survive.

Author: Justin E

Published: 02/2008

Sources: Sea Anemones (book) www.seaanemones.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heteractis_magnifica

Photo Credit: Jan Derk, November 2002, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.