Q. Is it a plant or an animal? A. Sea anemones might look like plants, but they are Fun Facts animals classified as marine invertebrates. The bright green color of Q. How do you pronounce its unique name? the Green sea anemone is partly due to its A. It is pronounced uh-NEHM -uh-nee. Say that 10 symbiotic relationship times fast! Sea anemones are in the class Anthozoa, with the green algae which means flower–like animal. It is also named living in its tissues. Under after the colorful, strong sunlight the algae terrestrial Anemone is encouraged to grow flower. and the sea anemone At CMA gets very green. When Q. How does the sea the anemone lives in anemone protect Green sea anemones are more shaded areas the itself when the tide usually found algae growth is inhibited and the anemone is less recedes? at the Aquarium colorful, appearing A. It will force water out in tanks 1, 4 and in the pale-gray. of its body, pull in its Touch Tank! There are more than 1,000 tentacles and fold sea anemone species found inward for protection. Just for Laughs throughout the world’s oceans. Q. Is it true that sea anemones Q. What happens A Medical drug has spend most of their lives in the when you throw been derived from same spot? a green rock into the sea anemone’s the sea? tissues that is A. Most sea anemones attach to hard being tested to surfaces with a sticky foot called a A. It gets wet! treat heart disease. pedal disk. They can remain firmly fixed in one place or can detach themselves and go for a slow walk. A few species are Fast Facts on a Local Species free-swimming and can move with the current. They also have a gas chamber within their pedal Common name: disk, allowing them to float upside-down in the Giant Green Anemone open sea. Scientific Name: Q. Is a sea jelly a relative of the sea anemone? Anthopleura xanthogrammica Range: Alaska to Panama A. Yes, they are both in in the phylum Cnidaria, Size: lengths up to 7 inches VOLUME 1, ISSUE 5 and have a soft body with a ring of tentacles that surrounds a central mouth, plus toxic stinging Diet: urchins, shrimp & small fish cells called nematocysts to capture small prey. Do not worry, the sting from a sea anemone is Life cycle: egg to larva, juvenile to not potent enough to seriously harm a person. adult Q. How long can a sea anemone live? Average Lifespan: some can live over 50 years A. Some species of sea anemones can live to be Predators: nudibranchs, snails, fish over 50 years old! & sea stars Sea Anemone Common Relatives: corals, jellies, sea fans and sea pens .