Tube anemone. Close-up of the tentacles of an unidentified tube anemone, or cerianthid. The long outer tentacles are used to grab and paralyse prey wi

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Tube anemone. Close-up of the tentacles of an unidentified tube anemone, or cerianthid. The long outer tentacles are used to grab and paralyse prey with their stinging cells (nematocysts). The smaller inner tentacles are used to drag the prey to the anemone's mouth (centre). It feeds on small fish, crustaceans and zooplankton. This anemone protects itself by building a tube from secretions into which it withdraws when threatened. It prefers to live on sandy or muddy sea floors.

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Size: 5105px × 3423px
Photo credit: © MATTHEW OLDFIELD/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: anemone, animal, cerianthid, cnidarian, coelenterate, invertebrate, invertebrates, marine, multiple, nature, ocean, sea, stinging, tentacles, tube, underwater, wildlife, zoology