| Range: |
Caribbean Sea |
| Habitat: |
Coral reefs, shallow ocean waters |
| Conservation Status: |
Not listed by IUCN |
| Scientific Name: |
Condylactis gigantean |
These may look like colorful flowers, but they are actually animals! Anemones are graceful creatures that usually stay anchored to one spot all of their lives. They prey on smaller animals that pass by. Their petal-like tentacles may look harmless, but they contain tiny stinging cells. One touch with a tentacle and an anemone can inject its prey with paralyzing venom.
Anemones often live in an unusual partnership with "clownfish". The fish help keep the anemones clean by feeding on food scraps and waste, and are protected from their stinging cells by a coat of mucus. The anemones, in turn, provide the clownfish protection from predators
The condylactis anemone is the largest anemone in American Atlantic tropical waters. It is sometimes called the "passion flower" of the Caribbean. It lives in shallow waters, attached to hard objects like stones.
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