Fun Jewel Anemone Facts For Kids
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A mesmerizing species of sea anemone, the jewel anemone is one of the thousand species of sea anemones. Scientifically known as Corynactis viridis, it is an anthozoan with vibrant coloration.
This species comes in striking combinations of purple, pink, orange, green, and yellow colors. It gets its name from small blobs of different colors on the tips of its tentacles that resemble jewels!
It is one of the most mesmerizing underwater sights and can be spotted forming colorful, dense carpets on hard surfaces in the ocean, like on rocks and piers in wave-exposed, shaded regions, beneath overhangs.
They can be seen on vertical rock walls in shallow water and on shores and rocky reefs. This stunning creature can be spotted in the Mediterranean Sea and in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean.
This species is a squat and short anemone that has a smooth column. Each beautiful anemone has about 100 tentacles, with each possessing a tiny round blob at the tip. These blobs resemble jewels and can be white-colored or of a shade contrasting with their body.
Its tentacles, tentacle tips, and disc are of contrasting colors typically. This species is quite unique and reproduces asexually by means of fission.
One anemone splits into two, and this process can create a magnificent patchwork effect. It preys upon fish and small shrimps that are caught by its tentacles. Keep reading to know more about the ecology, distribution, appearance, and more of the jewel anemone!
If you liked reading our cool facts about the jewel anemone, you must check out our sea anemone fun facts and giant green sea anemone facts for kids!
Jewel Anemone Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a jewel anemone?
Jewel anemone, Corynactis viridis, is a species of anemones, that is found across Ireland, Scotland, Europe, Australia, and countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It was George Allman, an Irish naturalist, who described it first in 1846. It is known for the tiny round blobs at the tips of its tentacles that resemble jewels.
What class of animal does a jewel anemone belong to?
The jewel anemone belongs to the class of Anthozoa. It isn't an anemone strictly but belongs to the Corallimorpharia order (coral anemones).
How many jewel anemones are there in the world?
The population of this species is unknown. However, jewel anemones are spread widely across their distribution.
Where does a jewel anemone live?
The jewel anemone range is restricted to Ireland, Scotland, south-west Europe, south-eastern Australia, and countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It can be commonly be seen around Britain's west and south coasts. It inhabits clean coastal water and can be found on shores, rocky reefs, often under rocks.
What is a jewel anemone's habitat?
The habitat of jewel anemone is similar to that of the striped anemone and the white striped anemone. It lives on coastal structures like piers in wave-exposed and shaded areas.
It has also been seen living on rocks, in caves, under overhangs in dense aggregations, especially on vertical rock faces. It inhabits lower shore and subtidal waters between 164-262.4 ft (50-80 m) depth. It is not fond of light and prefers dimly lit areas.
Who do jewel anemones live with?
Jewel anemones live in large colonies covering walls of caves underwater. There are sheets of polyps that are connected to a single base. The adjoining colonies of the major colony are of different colors.
How long does a jewel anemone live?
The lifespan of the jewel anemone is not known yet. However, sea anemones are known to reproduce asexually and are known to live for 60-80 years!
How do they reproduce?
Jewel anemones reproduce asexually, like all other anemones by splitting into two. This results in clusters of clones of the same colors.
The jewel anemone multiplies itself by longitudinal fission which leads to a mesmerizing patchwork effect on the place they inhabit. Longitudinal fission is when the anemone splits itself in half, resulting in two anemones. Sometimes, there is an error, which leads to the anemones staying attached to each other.
What is their conservation status?
The jewel anemone, Corynactis viridis, has not been evaluated by the IUCN yet. However, it is present in abundance in its range.
Jewel Anemone Fun Facts
What do jewel anemones look like?
Jewel anemones are small animals that have about 100 short tentacles, each with a colored round blob on its tip. These blobs resemble jewels and can be white-colored or of a shade contrasting with their body.
Its tentacles, tentacle tips, and disc are of contrasting colors typically. This species is a squat and short anemone that has a smooth column. These brightly colored anemone-like animals form dense carpets on places it inhabits, such as coastal structures and rocks.
How cute are they?
The beautiful jewel anemone species exhibits mesmerizing color combinations and can create a stunning patchwork effect on the places it inhabits, like rocks, cave walls, and piers.
How do they communicate?
The jewel anemone, Corynactis viridis, communicates with its tentacles and the chemicals it possesses. It can contract its tentacles and release chemicals to signal other anemones about the predator.
How big is a jewel anemone?
Jewel anemone, Corynactis viridis, ranges between 0.3-0.9 in (10-25 mm) in length and can be up to 0.5 in (1.5cm) in height.
How fast can a jewel anemone move?
The speed of this beautiful sea creature has not been evaluated yet. However, they are known to not move at all and only bend, twist, and contract their body.
How much does a jewel anemone weigh?
The jewel anemone's weight is not known yet due to a lack of studies. However, we do know that the weight of other larger sea anemones varies between 400-440 lb (181-199 kg).
What are the male and female names of the species?
The males and females are not given any distinct names based on their sex.
What would you call a baby jewel anemone?
There are no distinct names given to the baby of the jewel anemone (Corynactis viridis).
What do they eat?
This creature preys upon fish and small shrimps that are caught by its tentacles. They are preyed upon by eels, starfish, codfish, and sea slugs.
Are they dangerous?
No, these creatures have never proven to be fatal towards humans. However, their venom can produce a wildly burning feeling and can be as uncomfortable as the sting of the jellyfish. It would be safe to stay away from places they inhabit like rocks, coastal structures, and rocky overhangs.
Would they make a good pet?
These creatures are not usually kept as pets as their habitat, which comprises rocks and cave walls, can be hard to mimic in an aquarium. They are very challenging to take care of as well. However, some people do keep them.
Did you know...
Jewel anemones aren't really anemones and are closely related to corals! They are a coral basically, with the coral skeleton absent in them.
What do you call a group of jewel anemones?
Jewel anemones are called flowers of the sea because of their vibrant coloration and stunning appearance. They are called polyps as they live in colonies.
Do jewel anemones have predators?
Yes, jewel anemones do have predators. They can be preyed upon by eels, starfish, codfish, and sea slugs.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these brain coral interesting facts and coral surprising facts pages!
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable sea anemone coloring pages!
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