Aiptasia pulchella

Glass Anemone

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Aiptasia pulchella
Description Habitat Trophic Info
Safety Comments Links to Resources

Description: This anemone is the only common anemone around the Hawaiian Islands.  This anemone contains zooxanthellae, which is what gives it that light brownish, transparent color.  This anemone usually has white speckels surrounding its base.
Habitat: The Glass Anemone lives in crevices under rocks in shallow water where it can take in sunlight for its zooxanthellae.  Also lives in reef flats.
Range (include invasive, native, endemic): This anemone is found in areas in the Eastern, Central and Western Pacific.  This specices is also native to the Hawaiian Islands.
Trophic information: The Glass Anemone is eaten by Nudibranches, most especially, the Berghia major.  The Berghia major devours alot of Glass Anemones.  Other things like Pufferfish and Peppermint Shrimp love to eat the Glass Anemone, because it is a most abundant source.
Safety: Glass Anemones have stinging cells called Nematocyst that protect them from most predators but the Glass Anemone never grow higher then about 3in. and the nematocyst are too small to make that much of a difference to a human.  Just make sure you do not slip on them or smash them.
Comments: A cool thing about the Glass Anemone is that the Glass Anemone gives birth to live young.  Live Glass Anemone babies are shot out of the Glass Anemones mouth.
Links to Resources:
 
 
 
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