A beaded anemone (Heteractis aurora: diameter 25 cms.). Confined generally to sandy areas, where they feed on small prey. They can be identified readily by the beaded nature of their relatively short tentacles, which usually form a striking pattern, as in this instance. Notable also are the lines on the oral disc, which travel towards the centrally located mouth. The formidable tangle of tentacles catch zooplankton passing in the current, which they hold using their sharp and toxic nematocysts, before transferring the food to the animal's mouth. Photographed near Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia.

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Size: 5185px × 3359px
Photo credit: © Terence Dormer / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: adventure, anemone, aurora, bali, beaded, coral, creation, diving, heteractis, indonesia, life, marine, natural, nature, patterns, reef, scuba, sea, selection, trd5143, tulamben, underwater