This anemone, dahlia (Urticina felina), is a sea anemone that is present on the shores of the UK and near the shore of northern Denmark. This species of sea anemone's main habitat is in the depth of the Arctic Ocean.
The Arctic Ocean's temperature is ideal for this species. This sea anemone's diet consists of crabs, shrimps, and other species of fish and this anemone (dahlia) needs to be kept in deep, cold water.
One of the main characteristics of this species is that its tentacles are shaped like the dahlia flower! Their tentacles are short and are not shaped like a column.
The diameter of their oral disc is 6 in (15.2 cm). On top of the fact that these anemones are shaped like the dahlia flower, they are also seen in many different colors.
It is suggested to keep the dahlia anemone if you would like the sight of an underwater bouquet of flowers in your aquarium!
They are one of the most beautiful anemones to look at but they can be venomous, so they have to be treated with extreme care. This species of anemones can also sting so it is important to practice precaution when taking care of them.
They don't have a pleasant sting and the reaction of the sting is different for different people. It could be just an itch, but that itch could also develop into a rash.
Keep on reading to learn more about this unique water creature. For more relatable content, check out these giant green anemone facts and sea anemone facts for kids.
Dahlia Anemone Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a dahlia anemone?
These sea anemones (Urticina felina) are part of the anemone family. This is a type of sea creature.
What class of animal does a dahlia anemone belong to?
These sea anemones (Urticina felina) are part of the Anthozoa class of the Animalia kingdom.
How many dahlia anemones are there in the world?
The population range of these sea anemones (Urticina felina) has not been studied yet.
Where does a dahlia anemone live?
The Urticina felina, like any other sea anemone, lives in the ocean. Their ideal habitat is local to northern Denmark and they are also found on the shores of the UK. Their distribution depends on how cold the Arctic Ocean is in different regions.
What is a dahlia anemone's habitat?
This sea anemone lives in deep ocean habitats. These anemones are attached to the sand on the sea bed.
They are seen living among marine wildlife in the ocean and, since they prefer to be in deep waters, they are often difficult to spot. The dahlia anemone can be described as an underwater garden as it looks just like a dahlia flower.
Who do dahlia anemones live with?
They can co-exist with other sea anemones, fish, crabs, and other marine wildlife creatures. In fact, their diet depends on the marine wildlife that they live among.
How long does a dahlia anemone live?
The range of their lifespan is 60-80 years.
How do they reproduce?
The dahlia anemone is attached to the sea bed and releases eggs and sperm into the water to reproduce. The 'planula larva' lands on the sea bed and that's where the juvenile grows.
What is their conservation status?
The IUCN has not listed the conservation status of the dahlia anemone in their Red List. So, it can be assumed that their distribution is not facing any risk at the moment.
Dahlia Anemone Fun Facts
What do dahlia anemones look like?
These anemones have short tentacles and co-exist with other marine wildlife creatures. They can be found in several different colors such as pink and yellow and they have about 160 tentacles! The diameter of their oral disc is 6 in (15.2 cm).
How cute are they?
Like many jellyfish, they are considered to be beautiful rather than cute as they look similar to a flower. They can be considered cute if you look at their tentacles as their tentacles are smaller than those of other species of anemones.
They are colorful too, so they can make any aquarium a treat for your eyes. They are one of the most popularly bought and sold anemones in the world, but they can be venomous and have to be treated with care.
How do they communicate?
They communicate by releasing a poisonous venom through their tentacles.
How big is a dahlia anemone?
One of the best-known characteristics of the dahlia anemone is that the diameter of its oral disc is 6 in (15.2 cm) long. They have 160 tentacles and are attached to the sea bed, preferably near a rock. They are smaller than the immortal jellyfish.
How fast can a dahlia anemone move?
This family of anemones is attached to the sea bed, where they like to stay near a rock. This means that they do not move.
How much does a dahlia anemone weigh?
The weight of these anemones is yet to be studied.
What are the male and female names of the species?
There are no specific names for males and females of this anemone species. They are simply referred to as a male dahlia anemone and a female dahlia anemone.
What would you call a baby dahlia anemone?
A baby dahlia anemone is called a planula larva. These babies don't go near the tidal wave.
What do they eat?
They are carnivores in nature. They prey on marine wildlife creatures, including small fish, crabs, and shrimps.
Are they dangerous?
They can be considered to be dangerous as they can cause warts and stings. Warts are often local to the area where they sting, but this depends.
Would they make a good pet?
No as tehy are wild animals.
Did you know...
The first-ever description of the dahlia anemone was given by Linnaeus in 1761.
Dahlia anemone care
When taking care of this species you have to make sure that your aquarium tank is large. A dahlia anemone with babies can live together in the same tank, but you have to make sure that you don't touch the tentacles of this anemone as it can cause a stinging pain.
They can't kill a human, but the sting is a little different to that of other sea anemones.
Do anemones have babies?
Yes, these stinging anemones do have babies that are called planula larva. They live with their babies but they do not take care of them. Planula larva are capable of taking care of themselves and they can initially prey on zooplankton on the rocky bottom of the ocean.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other Anthozoa from our fire coral fun facts and freshwater mussel interesting facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable dahlia anemone coloring pages.