This carpet anemone of the species Stichodactyla mertensii has numerous small stinging tentacles. It uses them to trap tiny animals which are then transferred to the central mouth (see bottom right). Such anemones are often inhabited symbiotically by one or more white spot shrimps (Periclimenes brevicarpalis: 3 cms.). The shrimps appear to be immune to the nematocysts in the tentacles and may provide the anemone with an element of protection, in exchange for a relatively safe place to live. They also benefit by taking morsels of prey as it is pushed into the anemone's mouth. Egyptian Red Sea.

---

Size: 3949px × 3082px
Location: Near Hurghada, Egypt
Photo credit: © Terence Dormer / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: adventure, anemone, brevicarpalis, carpet, central, coral, creation, diving, egypt, glass, life, marine, mertensii, mouth, natural, peacock-tail, periclimenes, red, reef, scuba, sea, selection, shrimp, spot, stichodactyla, stinging, tentacles, trd5143, underwater, white