Sea anemones

Sea anemones are some of the most interesting rock pool creatures that we see at Dalebrook, Kalk Bay.  There are many different species of sea anemone, and they come in so many colours, shapes and sizes that sometimes people aren’t sure if what they’re looking at is a sea anemone at all!

My favourite thing about these creatures is that they masquerade as beautiful undersea flowers while waiting to grab a little fish or crab to eat.

False plum anemone © Shark Education Centre | Save Our Seas Foundation

These carnivores can “walk” (in other words, move very slowly!) using a strong “foot” which they use to attach themselves to rocks. This is called a basal adhesive disc.

Adhesive basal disc of sea anemone stuck onto the side of the tank © Shark Education Centre | Save Our Seas Foundation

Most of the time when we take children down to Dalebrook to explore, it is at low tide.  While some of the sea anemones are happily waiting submerged in rock pools for the tide to come back in, others are left exposed on the rocks and so they have closed their bodies up to protect themselves from drying out. They look a bit like blobs of jelly.

Anemone closed up with its tentacles tucked in © Shark Education Centre | Save Our Seas Foundation

Here are some pictures we have recently taken of sea anemones at Dalebrook and in the tank at the Shark Education Centre.

A very tiny anemone © Claire Metcalf | Save Our Save Foundations

Striped anemone © Eleanor Yeld Hutchings | Save Our Seas Foundation

Crevice anemone © Eleanor Yeld Hutchings | Save Our Seas Foundation

Brown sandy anemone © Eleanor Yeld Hutchings | Save Our Seas Foundation

Knobbly anemone © Eleanor Yeld Hutchings | Save Our Seas Foundation

Pink sandy anemone © Eleanor Yeld Hutchings | Save Our Seas Foundation

Anemones come in many different colours and patterns © Shark Education Centre | Save Our Seas Foundation