Heteractis aurora
Beaded Sea Anemone
©Anne: Heteractis aurora about 160 mm diameter �������in coral crevice at Big Vicki's Reef, Lizard Island. Occupied by two anemonefishes (Amphiprion sp), the larger only about 2 cm long.
©Anne: Beaded Sea Anemone (with Amphiprion chrysopterus) at Cod Hole near Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Cnidaria
Class
Anthozoa
Order
Actiniaria
Family
Stichodactylidae
Genus
Heteractis
Species
Heteractis aurora
Distinguishing features
Tentacles distinctive, up to 50 mm long with numerous swellings. Oral disc lies flat on soft sediment, visible due to sparse tentacles. Column is always buried in sediment.
Size
- Up to 25 cm (diameter)
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Local abundance
- Lizard Island: Uncommon in the Lizard Island area
Behaviour
Entire animal capable of retracting completely into sediment if suitably anchored.
Anemonefishes known from Lizard Island that associate with this species are Amphiprion akindynos and Amphiprion chrysopterus
Web resources
References
- Elliott, J.K. and R.N. Mariscal (1996). Ontogenetic and interspecific variation in the protection of anemonefishes from sea anemones. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 208: 52-72. LIRS catalog number 1662.
- Fautin, D.G. and G.R. Allen (1992). Field guide to anemonefishes and their host sea anemones Western Australian Museum, Perth, WA.
- Nedosyko, A.M., J.E. Young, J.W. Edwards and K. Burke da Silva (2014). Searching for a toxic key to unlock the mystery of anemonefish and anemone symbiosis. PLOS One, 9 (5): e98449. LIRS catalog number 1763.